Knight of Darkness
by Guinivere Sage
Summary: INCOMPLETE: Sequel to Oh, It's On. Vlad gets the help of the Knight of Darkness, Tucker finds something new with a magical woman out for revenge, Danny and Sam have their lives changed. It's long...a summary can't really cut it. DxS TxOC Some GhostxGhost
1. Knight of Darkness

**Author's Note: So here it is! Chapter 1 of the sequel to "Oh, It's On"! If you're new here, I strongly recommend reading that before this. It would be too confusing not to. Anyway, to my return readers! Thanks for joining me again! I'm writing this by the seat of my pants, I have only a vague idea of where it's going… but that's okay, because it will be good either way. I might not update quite as quickly as last time because I'm on vacation and don't have all day to sit on the computer waiting for eight reviews, but don't fear! I'm once again writing it one chapter ahead, so… just review! Because I love reviews! And I love Danny Phantom!**

**Disclaimer: Butch Hartman is the ruler of my fan-fiction universe.

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**Chapter 1- Knight of Darkness**

Vlad Masters walked calmly through his home, lightly caressing the animal pelts that hung from every open place. He lowered himself to an armchair and relaxed, closing his eyes against the warm firelight.

"Everything is in place," he said quietly to himself. "Pariah Dark is out of the way, I have Jack's ecto-skeleton suit, and the Crown of Fire and Ring of Fury are in my grasp. And I've finally found Danny's one true weakness... along with that secret weapon. Nothing could possibly go wrong."

"Are you sure about that?" asked a threatening voice from the darkness.

"Ah, Fright Night! Come on out and say hello."

A knight with black armor and purple flames for a cape materialized, glaring down at Vlad. "I don't agree with your plan," he said bleakly.

"I know that. But you don't have a choice. We made a deal, remember? I free you from Pariah Dark's rule, and you give me what I need to bring down Danny Phantom."

"I still think you're making a mistake. My brother is dangerous, Plasmius."

"Glad to hear you speak so highly of me," intoned another, more menacing voice. The Fright Knight cringed, but Vlad smiled.

"Knight of Darkness! Glad to see you've made it."

"I only came because I owe little Frighty here a favor."

The Fright Knight rounded, angry. "Don't call me Frighty! I'm the Fright Knight, for the last time! If you don't stop, I'll…"

"What?" asked the Knight of Darkness. "Tell Mom?"

Fright Knight growled, but didn't respond. He turned back to Vlad. "I'm done with you. You have my brother, now let me go. It's been three years, Masters!"

"Very well." Vlad waved his hand and a piece of curled parchment appeared. It appeared to be a contract, signed at the bottom by both him and Fright Knight. Another wave of the hand and it disappeared, consumed by green flames. "It is done. You're dismissed."

Fright Knight disappeared in a blaze of fire. Knight of Darkness emerged from the shadows, showing himself for the first time. He was a tall man in dark gray armor, but unlike his brother, he had no mask. His hair was midnight black and long, tied in the back with a black satin tie. He had no face to speak of; it was hidden behind disfiguring scars. All that could be seen were two eyes, irises so dark a purple they could blend with the night sky. He glowed with a faint green aura.

"What do you want with me, Plasmius?"

Vlad smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

Sam groaned, wiping sweat from her brow. "Why are we here again? I mean, Danny can handle this, right?"

"He needs us for clean-up. This was a major invasion—five ghosts at once. If something goes wrong, we need to be here. You know that."

She sighed. "Yeah, I know. I just hate the heat. It reminds me of the sun. Goths don't like the sun, remember?"

Tucker smiled; she could see it even through the darkness. "I remember. But we're in a boiler room, Sam. There's not much we can do about it."

Just then, something flew quickly past them, knocking Tuck backward. He staggered as Danny Phantom materialized, a look of determination on his face. Not moments later, a slimy ghost soaked through the walls of the boiler room and attacked him. Danny dodged quickly, doubling back to hit the gooey specter, but his hand just got caught in the sticky mouth of his adversary. The ghost tried to eat his arm, but Danny swung around and started slamming it against the wall.

"A little—help—here—please!" he shouted between hits.

"Help… Right!" Tucker activated the Fenton Thermos just as Danny freed his arm from the ghost. It was sucked away, trapped inside the cylindrical prison. Danny floated exhaustedly back to the floor and Sam rushed over.

"Awesome job, Dan!" She kissed his cheek quickly and he swung his arm over her shoulder, still breathing heavily.

"Thanks," he muttered, smiling. "That's the last one. Man, that was the third big attack this week! We haven't had activity like this in over a year. Something's going on."

"I would agree, but there's practically no activity around the ghost portal! Usually, when things have been messed up, the ghosts crowd around it." Tucker frowned at his PDA, tapping at the picture. He had rigged the Fenton's ghost radar to flow into his equipment so they could track activity in the Ghost Zone. "Maybe my gear is malfunctioning. I hope not—my Dad will kill me if I ask him for more money."

Sam smirked. "Tucker, I think it's time for you to enter the real world and discover the novelty of _getting a job_."

With the expression on Tuck's face, you'd think the world had just come to an end. "A job! No way! I'll deal with it some other way."

"You're going to college next year! Yeah, you've got tuition paid, but you do need to eat. That takes money. Your mom and dad won't be there to help then."

"That's easy for you to say! Your parents are just happy you're conforming enough to go to college. They're paying your way through."

"That doesn't mean I won't get a job. Actually, I'm kind of surprised none of us have really needed to yet. I'm looking for something right now, just to get the experience."

Tucker glared. "You just have to set an example, don't you?"

"Yes." Sam beamed. "I do."

* * *

"I am the Box Ghost! With my packing peanuts of doom I shall vanquish you!"

Skulker sighed. "Shut up, already! Why don't you leave me alone?"

"Youuu are the hunter of all that is _unusual_. You want the phantom boy, but I cannot let you have him!" The Box Ghost spread his arms dramatically. "He is my connection to the human world, and through him I will control all the boxes of the universe! Without him my plans are foiled… Now, fight me!"

"I don't have time." Skulker pressed a button on his suit and a large plasma gun rose from his shoulder. Another press and the plasma ball launched, chasing the Box Ghost deep into the Ghost Zone. Skulker shook his head and turned around, once again working his way toward the only person who he could actually converse with.

He opened a door and entered, collapsing onto a large guitar-shaped couch. From behind him, a feminine voice floated from another room.

"Skulk, is that you? You're here early; what do you want?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just been a rough day. I'm no closer to capturing the half breed, and that Box Ghost is bothering me again."

Ember laughed as she walked in and sat next to him. "Did you blast him from here to Klemper? Man, they both annoy me so much! As for the phantom kid, you'll get him sometime. You know, my offer to help still stands. It would be great to see that boy locked in a tiny cage."

Skulker closed his eyes and breathed heavily. "No," he replied. "I need to do this myself. It's a matter of pride."

"I understand." Ember leaned back and relaxed against the metal legs of Skulker's suit. "When you win a battle it's like this high; nothing can touch you. For a few minutes, everything fades away… You're left with…"

"Victory," he finished for her.

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**Wow. So I guess I should have seen this coming, you know… the fifty gazillion reviews for chapter ten. However, I don't care how long it takes or how trivial it seems… I made a promise that I would respond to every review I get before posting the next chapter, so here they are. Each and every one.**

**Divagurl277: **Hey, I'm glad you liked it. Here's the sequel, and enjoy!

**Bleeding Grey: **FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL! MWAHAHA! (bows) I bow to _your _eternal awesomeness for reviewing. Woot!

**They-Call-Me-Orange: **Obviously, this one has a bit more of a plot to it than "Oh, It's On". I wasn't sure I could pull a sequel off without breaking out Danny's awesome butt-kicking powers, but don't expect Sam to fade into the background! She's awesome and in-charge, totally the amazing person she's always been. And for all you Tucker supporters out there, I'm trying to give him a bit more plot-time, too.

**ANIME FAN ANGUS: **I practically scared the ears off my cat's ears (tips hat to Setsunta) when I saw there were two more movies coming. This certainly bodes well for all us DP fanatics out here.

**Starlet36: **Yes, they are.

**The Brunette Dreamer: **Your reviews made me laugh so hard. I was thinking of asking you what the cross-over had been, and where I could read it, when I found the next review. I'm flattered that you mentioned it, completely not knowing it was mine. You rock, and I hope you're back to read the sequel.

**SetsuntaMew: **Yes, SEQUEL! I hope you review for this, I really like hearing about your weirdness… it gives me something to relate to.

**JNgirl: **(Rubs hands together maniacally)

**Kats02980416: **Rushed? I don't think so. It was all I needed to wrap up the story, because I knew the big plot bunnies would be hopping into this one. Tucker rocks. Sam ROCKS. I'm thinking there's gonna be some major teenage rebellion in this one.

**sam manson rulez: **Here it is! XD

**Sqweakie the Wonder Mouse: **The visuals were necessary. I tried cutting back, but it couldn't be done. Here's the sequel!

**Uru Baen: **I hope you got chapter 9…

**Spiffy McFloogan: **Hot-dogs never confuse me.

**CherrySparklez: Yay! **I'm glad you liked it so much!

**AndieWitter or SSWBA: **Yeah, Danny's a sexy beast. Rowr.

**The-3-Amigos: **Woop woop!

**WaterGirl14: **Your hyperness overflows. I LOVE IT!

**Fields of Paper Flowers: **Is this soon enough?

**DragonGirl: **FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL! Fire burns Nasty-P too quickly… pitchforks might work, though…

**The Adversary: **Have I mentioned that I'm distracted, oblivious, and ignorant? I had just seen another writer who wrote nothing but Inuyasha, and then you who wrote nothing but FFVII, and my brain switched them like DNA "crossing over". Anyway, it makes no difference. I never played the game! XD

**Yayfulness: **FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!

**MusicalLuna1: **I must admit that my HP ships are floating randomly at sea at this point. I'm not sure what I'm really leaning toward, because the more I think about it, the R/Hr thing kind of works. But H/Hr is still so cute to me, and I don't know what to do. Can't we all just get along!

**otakualways: **Nope, it's not!

**AquaDreamer: **Yay! Keep reading and reviewing!

**Daisuke Barton: **Thanks for reviewing!

**inufire: **Thanks!

**vanillalilies: **Woot! Keep reading!

**Eternity's Shadow: **I'm sooo backed up right now but I'll try to go check it out!

**Hyperactively Bored: **Woot! AXOLOTL!

**Leonine One 252: **I'm sorry. Not changing!

**rikagirls: **I know… (dreamy sigh)

**crazybluephantom: **Yay! I feel so special!

**Maggy d: **(Jumps up and down with you) I know! Danny and Sam are perfect for each other!

**Oasis Blackmore: **I really hope you enjoy this…

**Sakura Nights: **FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL! (Hugs you back) Your name reminds me of Arabian Nights from Aladdin. I love Aladdin. (Runs off, singing the songs, randomly punctuated by DP themesong)

**Snea: **You're back! Keep reading!

**Butterflysky: **Danny is sexy and hot and awesome and… (faints) Oh, what? Sorry 'bout that. Anyway, could you imagine if he was a real person? The entire female population (and some of the male) would be after him. As for the touching parts… (giggles) I was going for realistic. You have memories, too? Awesome for you.

**Leaving you now, but not for long!**

**FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!**

**--GS**


	2. Tucker's Plight

**Author's Note: Whoop! Here we go with the next chapter! I'm so loving this story… even though I still have no real grasp on the plot yet. Heh… who cares? You public peoples get your updates, so why am I even bothering? Why? Because I love you all! And I want to torture you by prolonging the time before you read the next chapter. Ah, well, I guess I've run out of time…

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**Chapter 2- Tucker's Plight**

"Guys, come on! I'm right here!"

Sam heard the voice. She recognized that it was Tucker. And then she ignored it.

There were more important matters to concentrate on, such as the amazing things Danny was doing to her with his mouth. Or the way his hands felt in her hair. Sam smiled through the kiss and shifted closer. She sighed, letting her breath mix with Danny's.

Tucker had seen quite enough. He licked his finger and stuck it in Danny's ear.

"Ah! Tucker, what do you want?"

"A girlfriend. That way I have someone to distract me while you two…" He scowled. "Distract yourselves." The scowl deepened. "and you guys promised you wouldn't do… _that _stuff in front of me. I'm happy you're finally together, but it's just sick. Sick, twisted, and wrong." Tuck shuddered for good measure and threw himself on the bed.

"You were gone," Sam argued. "It's not our fault you came back. And it's not our fault you don't have a girlfriend, either."

"It's not from lack of trying," Danny commented.

"I know." The geek smiled. "so Sam, what are you wearing to prom?"

She was about to answer, but her eyes narrowed. "Why?" she asked apprehensively.

"I just wanted to make sure it matched with the crown."

"What crown?"

"The Prom Queen crown. Didn't you know? You were nominated."

The next door neighbors looked out the windows, wondering who was screaming. They also wondered who Tucker was, and why he was being damned to hell.

"YOU DID NOT JUST SAY I'M NOMINATED FOR PROM QUEEN!"

Tuck shrugged. "Okay; I didn't."

She sat down with a thud. "Did you?"

He paused, and then propped himself up on his elbows. "Yeah, I did. I saw the ballot in the office this morning." A fake sniffle and a pouty look later, he grinned. "Our little Sammy-wammy is growing up!"

"Oh, go find a girlfriend." She frowned. "Is there a way to withdraw?"

"Nope. But why would you want to?"

Before she could answer, Tucker piped up. "Did I mention both Valerie and Paulina are on the ballot, too?"

* * *

"Oh, and did I mention Sam Manson is on the ballot, too?"

Paulina's jubilant face fell.

"Her? But… she's a _Goth_!"

"Well, if you haven't noticed, there's an abundance of black at school lately. The girl's a trend-setter, especially after…" Valerie chose her words carefully. "the incident between you two. But don't worry; with the right campaigning, you'll be Prom Queen."

Paulina looked ready to cry. "But aren't you in the running, too? How can I run against my best friend?" She paused, as if considering. "You won't care when I win, will you?"

"No." Valerie rolled her eyes discreetly. "I have more important things to worry about than being Prom Queen." An image of a boy with white hair and green eyes flashed in her mind.

"Like what?" Paulina questioned, aghast. What could be more important than Prom Queen?

"Oh, just personal stuff."

* * *

It had taken quite a while to calm Sam down after Tucker's second tactless outburst.

"I don't want to be Prom Queen."

"You could always send Paulina a prom dress covered in bird poop," was Tucker's oh-so-helpful suggestion.

"the birds would be ashamed to have their fecal matter within twenty feet of Nasty-P. I only used cow dung last time because it smells."

"You should thank that cow." Tucker snickered. "It was that stunt that got you this popularity." He paused. "Well, that and the cockroaches, and the spiders, and the salamander, and the snakes, and that crack about frogs and toads…" He ticked them off on his fingers, smiling all the while. Sam smiled, too.

"It _was_ pretty satisfying to see her reactions all those times."

"Don't forget the kiss," Danny piped in.

Sam grinned and brushed a thumb across her boyfriend's cheek. "We can't forget the kiss."

"Oh, please." Tucker sighed. "I really need a girlfriend."

Danny looked up from staring into Sam's violet eyes. "Find one," he suggested.

"I've asked out probably every girl in Casper High. What am I supposed to do; transfer schools? The day I find a girlfriend in Amity Park is the day a warrior princess falls through the roof."

Danny and Sam shrugged, turning back to each other. It was then that a rumble reverberated through the house, making the trio look up cautiously. The rumble became louder… louder… almost deafening…

And then it stopped.

Everything seemed to happen at once as a swirling wind picked up in the room, the lights dimmed, and a shrill screeching replaced the thunder. A dark figure descended from nowhere, landing on the floor of Danny's room in a crouch. All the activity ceased as quickly as it began.

The three friends gaped at the person that had dropped in on them. The figure rose, standing proudly amongst the wind-blown papers.

It was a woman.

She had the most stunning red hair—shining like rubies. It cascaded down around her heart-shaped face and creamy pale shoulders. Two eyes of a color somewhere between green and blue surveyed the room. She was trim and subtly muscular. She wore a tight, short, dark leather skirt and steel-enhanced boots. The leather and metal theme continued in a pliable vest that revealed her midriff and was crossed over with chains. A heavy belt supported a sword that rested at her hip.

Suddenly there was a thud, and the strange woman looked down to find a dark-skinned boy on his knees in front of her. His hands were clasped together; his eyes wide and pleading.

"Marry me!"

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**HAHAHA! Tucker's in love at first sight! If any of you had read "Good and Harm", you should have seen this coming after the whole "The day when I…" comment. It seems that whatever Tucker says, it somehow happens… Hmm… foreshadowing much?**

**Oasis Blackmore: **Danny certainly has some thing to look out for in this one. As for the review responses, I like doing it. I get so excited to see people's opinions of my work, that I just love sharing my enthusiasm.

**ANIME FAN ANGUS: **Yes, I'm loving this story, too. I can't wait to see how it ends!

**Kats029980416: **Think of this story taking place a few weeks after the end of the last one. They are still in high school, still seniors, and Danny and Sam just got together. I'm really happy you picked up on the "Tucker needs a girlfriend" thing, even before I posted this chapter.

**XTempest888X: **Wow… your review was just… um… thanks? I read things like this and I don't really know what to say. As for things coming out in writing that don't come out in television, that's why I love it so much. Both are forms of entertainment, but writing can give such in depth feeling, and many times that is hard to see with a camera. The same goes the other way around. There are times when I'm writing that I see the scene in my mind, and I wish I could just film it and show it, because sometimes situations are better portrayed that way. Fighting and action are the hardest to write, in my opinion, because there isn't as much deep emotion in it… But anyway, thanks for the amazing review!

**Arezal: **Sequel!

**Fields of Paper Flowers: **Hah! So you picked up on the slight tension between those two, eh? I don't know if I'm going to develop that yet… can you tell me if you've seen any stories with ghost/ghost relations?

**WaterGirl14: **Well, he already used bubble wrap in Reign Storm, so I had to think of something different! XD

**Lightning Streak: **You're hooked? (Reels you in) Almost… almost…. Oh, this one's a doozy! Martha, get the water bucket!

**Snea: **Is this soon enough? And yes, I think that perhaps we should… I've got it! Hehe… You'll see soon…

**Still trying to fly: **Yes, the Lord is good. And yes, it was a lot of reviews. I thought about not doing them all, but decided against it. It's like… my author's ethics. I promised, and I don't break promises.

**The Adversary: **Yeah, the Fright Knight has a brother. I wanted an original villain—I figured if Vlad could do it with one of the other ghosts, why hadn't he already? So here I go trying to think of what the heck kind of ghost I should make, while conforming to the things set down by Reign Storm, and I was like, "Hey, people have siblings… why can't ghosts have siblings, too?" It seemed right… the Fright Knight is kind of pompous, and in my mind he was made that way by having to stand up for himself against a dominating childhood figure. Does that make sense? It did to me… Hence, the Knight of Darkness. I think I may shorten his name somehow (maybe Sam can come up with another nickname, hehe) because his is really long and I'm tired of typing it. As for EmberSkulker, just read my response to Fields of Paper Flowers's review. And yes, I would love a cheese stick..

_**FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!**_

**--GS**


	3. The Warrior Princess

**Author's Note: Wow, I really must love you guys. I said I wouldn't update as quickly as last time due to vacationing and yet here I am, past midnight writing in some fan-fiction about a half-boy-half-ghost. Do I have a life? Yes, it's simply in my mind. (Rolls eyes)

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**Chapter 3- The Warrior Princess**

She looked down. "Where is the King?"

"I'll be your king, baby, just be my queen. We'll rule the land of love." Tucker drew out the last word, managing to sound like a very drunk, and very pathetic, middle-aged man. The enigma just stared.

"I am no queen, simply a woman on a mission."

"Oh, I love strong women!"

Sam reached out and kicked him in the back of his leg. "Shut up, you idiot. Leave her alone. We don't know anything about her!"

"Who are you?" Danny asked, getting right to the point.

The scantily clad female swung her gaze to him. Instead of answering, she tilted her head to the side. "You are very attractive," she said simply.

Sam made a strangled noise—something like a caged animal. Instinctively she stepped close and wound herself around him, sending the offender a dark look. Danny's eyes widened and he looked sideways at Sam, somewhat taken aback but enjoying it too much to change anything. Instead, he turned back to the major problem.

"Thanks, but that doesn't answer my question. Who are you?"

"Emlyn."

"Where are you from?"

"Africa."

"Why are you here?"

"To find the king."

"What king?"

"The king of ghosts."

* * *

Danny lay in bed that night, not sure exactly what to think. After dropping her startling bit of news, Emlyn had fled, opening the window and diving right out through it. By the time the three of them had finished fighting for a spot to look, she was gone.

So her name was Emlyn, she was from Africa, and she was after some ghost king. That was all they knew. There were way too many variables for Danny's taste. One: How did she know about ghosts? Danny's ghost sense hadn't gone off when she showed up, so she couldn't be one. So was she a ghost hunter? There hadn't been any high-tech gear like Valerie had, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. A lot of people like old-fashioned. Two: How had she gotten from Africa to Amity Park? It just didn't work—why would she come all the way across the world to look for a ghost king, when she would be better off looking in the Ghost Zone? Three: What was with all the thunder, and wind, and falling through the ceiling? It was a great entrance, but almost pointless when her visit seemed accidental. Four: The ghost king.

The only ghost king Danny knew of was Pariah Dark, the super-ghost he had fought before. But Pariah Dark had been defeated three years ago, and if he had escaped from his prison, there would be chaos in the Ghost Zone. Tucker hadn't picked up any abnormal activity _inside_ the Zone, it was only in Amity Park that there seemed to be an excess of specters.

So who was the ghost king?

And who was Emlyn… really?

* * *

Big news at school was the announcement of Prom Queen and King nominees. It was one of the worst days at school Sam had had that year.

Well, she couldn't really say that. After the water-bottle incident and the posters Nasty-P had put up, the day would have to be classified as… annoying.

Every few feet, it seemed, she was stopped by some well-wisher. At first she tried calmly explaining that she didn't want to be Prom Queen, but only received strange looks in return. Then she tried ignoring them, but couldn't keep it up—the broken looks on her classmates' faces tore at her conscience. After a while, she just smiled and nodded.

By lunch, a tension headache was raging at the top of her neck.

"I _so_ want to go home," she groaned, dropping next to Danny. He slipped his arm around her waist and she leaned her forehead on his shoulder, grateful for the support. She sighed. "I have no idea how I'm going to stand this until Prom. Maybe I shouldn't go."

"Sam! You have to go to prom! You promised you would go with me," Danny complained. "And anyway, not going would be giving in to peer pressure," he recited, quoting from one of the random teen-life assemblies they'd had throughout school. "Don't let this stupid contest keep you from having fun."

"Plus," Tucker mumbled around a mouthful of food. "I want to see Paulina's face when you win."

Sam just groaned, not moving. "So the stoic one speaks. What's with you, Tuck? You've been quiet all day."

"He's thinking about girls."

"One girl."

That got Sam's attention. She lifted her head and glared at him. "Not Emlyn. Tucker, she's probably some new enemy Danny has to fight! Why do you always choose the girls that want our best friend dead?"

"We don't know she's evil," he protested.

"That's what you said about Valerie at first, and look where that lead! She's one of Danny's biggest worries! He's got enough to worry about without your hormones making it worse."

"What about _your _hormones? I'm sure Danny would have a lot more time for ghost fighting and school if you didn't have your tongue down his throat half the time he's awake!" Tucker grabbed his books and left quickly, leaving Sam and Danny in a stunned silence.

Sam broke it first. "Wow," she said quietly. "He's got it bad."

"Yeah… Listen Sam; don't take what he said seriously. I'm doing fine; you don't have to worry about my time management."

"I know."

But she was frowning. Dan kissed her cheek gently, wishing he could get rid of her stress as easily as he could get rid of the Box Ghost.

* * *

"I must protect the Ghost Boy…" The Box Ghost said quietly to himself. "Without him, my plans are destroyed! He must remain." The portly, slightly misguided ghost hovered outside Casper High School, peering through the glass at Danny Fenton, the half-a's day-time identity. He was sitting with that girl… the one in black.

Perhaps she could be of help! The Box Ghost could not protect Phantom alone—he needed help, and a best friend and girlfriend would do perfectly. But how to approach her?

* * *

**Y'all have no idea… I was in the middle of writing the review responses you see below when I was hit with a sudden inspiration… I think I know where the story is going! Yay for me for figuring out the mystery of my own plot!**

**Divagurl277: **SQUEEGIE!

**Kats02980416: **Emlyn is my newest creation, and I love her. The more she progresses in my mind, the more I'm thinking I'll put her in a regular story, just because she's so freaking awesome. By the way, if anyone bothered to look (always have to look for these things in my stories) her name means "brave and noble warrior".

**Still trying to fly: **Sorry, that was my Christian workings coming out at a completely inappropriate time. I'm really happy you're enjoying my stories so much. My favorite chapters in Oh, It's On were 4 and 8… which were yours?

**Sakura Nights: **I tried to make Tucker's reaction realistic to the character. He had just gotten finished spouting off about warrior princesses falling through the roof and… well, you get the idea.

**WaterGirl14: **T-U-C-K-E-R! Anyway… yeah. Have I given him a good plot-line yet? I really wanted to.

**Snea: **I love you too! FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!

**Oasis Blackmore: **Yeah, Danny needs to watch his back. Though now the Box Ghost is watching it for him… wait, could that make it worse? Anyway, Tucker is amazing and awesome and I love him almost as much as Danny, maybe even equally. Danny is a hard character to write because his personality kind of gets hidden behind the hero thing. Sam and Tucker are easy; quicksilver and sulfur, the quarreling couple… (that's alchemy) Sam is bold and individual; Tuck is intelligent and witty. Ack; I've got alchemical symbols running through my head now! (Smacks forehead)

**The Adversary: **Yeah, Danny and Sam can't get enough of each other. Tucker's feeling left out, but he's getting a whole separate plot line, so he shouldn't really complain. _Tucker: Hey, I'm girlfriend-less! Give me a break! _Me: No. You should know by now where this story is headed, since you're in my mind you little nitwit. _Oh, so now I'm a nitwit. Last review response I was intelligent and witty. Way to be a hypocrite! _Oh, go find a girlfriend.

_**FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!**_

**--GS**


	4. Late Night Reflections

**Author's Note: Wow, what to say about this chapter? Half of it was written at noon, the other half midnight. Both times I was in a very… somber mood, I guess you could say. Calm… Soothed… Strange. I'm in this dream-like world, you know, like when you breathe too fast and everything feels weird? I don't know why, but I think it turned out a good chapter, so enjoy!

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**Chapter 4- Late Night Reflections**

Emlyn gazed stoically into the sky through the canopy of the tree. Below her, a few remaining couples strolled in the garden paths. She sighed, knowing the public park was about as close to home as she would get.

She missed the plains and the jungles… wide, ranging space and tall, lush foliage. Animals around her, wildflowers beneath her. But most of all she missed the heat. That moist, comforting warmth that enveloped you the moment you stepped outside, and Emlyn lived outside. She lived in the heat, she lived _for _the heat, and she longed for it. Amity Park, in its waning spring sunshine, was a poor substitute.

If only she could do what she came for and go home.

But she hadn't found the ghost king. She had found three teenagers; one attractive, one desperate, and one…

One. The girl could not be described in a single word. Aggressive? Yes. Intriguing? Yes. Simple? Not at all.

Perfect?

Perhaps… Emlyn sat up quickly, an idea forming in her mind.

* * *

_He was floating, soaring through the sky at a leisurely pace. He gazed down at the town below him, wondering where his friends were._

_And then he didn't really care. There was someone floating with him… gazing at him through green-blue eyes…_

Tucker awoke with a start, shaking his head to clear it. He glanced at the bedside clock, feeling groggy from the remains of his dream.

12:56

He groaned, rolling over to shove his face in the pillow. It was the third time he had woken up, reeling from dreams of Emlyn. She invaded his thoughts like the Greeks at Troy, and burned his mind to the ground. She wrapped him in a blanket of…

Oh, to hell with metaphors. She was hot.

And Tucker needed to be warmed.

He smiled, grinning into the pillow like a kid in a candy shop. The smile fell quickly, however.

He had only ever seen her once, and she hadn't even spoken to him. He would probably never see her again, except in battle with Danny.

And in his dreams.

A buzzing filled his ears, and he drew his brows together in confusion. What was it? The buzzing stopped, but a moment later a breeze picked up in his room, and the window wasn't open. Tucker sat up and looked around…

It had to be another dream. There was no way Emlyn could actually be standing in his room, that tiny smile on her lips. The smile that did not reach her eyes.

"I need to speak with you," she intoned quietly.

"Y-yeah? What is it?"

"I don't think it would be wise for me to tell you about my mission any more than I already have. However, I require the assistance of your friend."

"Danny?" Tucker's jubilant face fell. This had to be reality.

"No; the other one. The girl."

"Oh, Sam! What do you want with her?"

Emlyn didn't answer right away. "She's necessary. I believe that she is very important to helping me achieve my goal. Don't worry—no harm will come to her."

"Is… is this serious?" he asked. A stillness had come over the room, like humidity on a warm night. The atmosphere slowed Tucker's heart. He breathed more deeply.

"Quite."

Tuck stood and walked to Emlyn, frowning. "Then I don't think Sam will be able to help you."

"Why?"

"Listen, I don't know why you came here to talk about Sam, but I'll tell you this. She's my best friend, and I won't willingly put her in a possibly dangerous situation. Not without me there. I know you say she won't get hurt, but I can't know that. I won't jeopardize Sam like that."

Emlyn's beautiful eyes narrowed. She gazed at him for moments on end before deliberately clearing her expression.

"You say you won't put her in that position without you there. Then you can come, too."

* * *

"Tucker! Tucker! Neptune to Tucker! Your home planet is calling."

"Huh?" Tuck lifted his head sharply, blinking his eyes. "What?"

"You fell asleep. Here, wipe that meatloaf from your forehead." Sam threw a napkin at him. "What's with you? Yesterday you're as touchy as a football player with a cheerleader, and today you're as dead as… well, I'd say the ghosts Danny fights, but they're more active than you."

"Sam?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up." He was about to reunite forehead and meatloaf, but Danny pushed him back.

"Tuck, you can't be like this. If a ghost attacks, I need you alert. Even I'm not this tired, and I was up until midnight doing homework!"

"Yeah well I was—" He stopped, let his eyes slip to the side, and then focused again. "Never mind."

"Tucker?"

"Yes?"

"You're a bad liar. What kept you up last night?"

His sigh became a yawn.

"Emlyn." When both Danny and Sam fell quiet, Tucker thought fast. "I kept dreaming about her and waking up. It's really rough. Now, can I get back to my meatloaf?"

Sam nodded, and he put his head down, breathing a yawn of relief. That was close.

Well, he hadn't lied exactly…

* * *

She breathed slowly and deeply, allowing the scent of fresh lavender to invade her senses. The stars were out, and they glittered charmingly. If only she could touch one; feel its warmth.

Emlyn closed her eyes in silent yearning. Heat… it was what she craved. Perhaps she should make another visit to the boy… Tucker.

But no, they had spoken late the night before. She could not exhaust his energy. He would need it later. She had many plans for Tucker, and Sam as well. They would help her find the person she had been searching for almost her entire life… ever since her father was killed. The ghost king…

She would have her revenge.

* * *

**Michelle Felton: **Yeah, neither did I…

**Oasis Blackmore: Sam **and Tucker are really good friends. A lot of people lose that in the jokes and fights, but they care about each other and can read each other almost as well as Sam and Danny do. The alchemy came from a book I read titled _Looking for God in Harry Potter_. There was a whole chapter on alchemy and how it relates to Harry's journey from raw boyish emotion to a controlled manly disposition. I loved the references, and now I can't stop thinking about it…

**WaterGirl14: **Emlyn is evil? Do you think? What are your suspicions about the ghost king?

**yinyang-shadow: **There are many plot related things in your review I can't comment on, but I will say this: Keep reading! I'll keep writing!

**Lightning Streak: **Is this soon enough?

**spikeshellbitch: **No, Nasty-P doesn't deserve it.

**ANIME FAN ANGUS: **THANKS!

**Still trying to fly: **You can thank my friend Natalie for the Bambi thing. She had almost that same conversation with her cousin when she was seven.

**Yayfulness: **Danny won't choke Sam… that'd ruin the fun!

**Snea: **FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!

**iamkagomeiloveinuyasha: **I'm glad you're enjoying it.

**Rae Valerious: **You talk with Oasis? I didn't know that! Anyway, what will you two talk about with this one?

**Maggy d: **Actually, you're grammar was correct. When speaking of the plot of a story, always use the present tense, because literature never ends. However, you were speaking of how what you read made you feel, and that was in the past. Don't fear—the grammar master is here.

**CherrySparklez: **I love writing this story. In fact, I love writing all stories.

**The-3-Amigos: **The prom thing will be more like a side-plot… I think…

**The Adversary: **Sam is very protective of Danny; we saw that in Reign Storm with Valerie. And I like long reviews. They give me more to think about, and I like talking to people. By the way, your PS didn't show up.

**Kats02980416: **Danny is in all kinds of trouble, Sam's popularity will be the last thing on her mind shortly, and Tucker is being Tucker. Can life get better?

**Hyperactively Bored:** I like my pants.

**Kenastar101: **I looked at your story and reviewed. FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!

**Sakura Nights: **Hehe… bubble wrap.

_**FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!**_

**--GS**


	5. An Eventful Day

**Author's Note: This chapter is just… I don't even know how to describe it. You know, I was thinking to myself that this story is taking an awfully long time to write, and then I realized that by now in "Oh, It's On," Sam has already kissed Danny and Paulina did the poster thing. I guess this one is going to be a bit longer…

* * *

**

**Chapter 5- An Eventful Day**

"Good morning, students, please be seated for the morning announcements. The field hockey meet has been cancelled, rescheduled for next Tuesday. A fund-raiser for the senior class will begin tomorrow. You will be selling candy, raising money for prom. Will Paulina Melendez, Valerie Grey, Sam Manson, and Jessica Wright please come to the main office after announcements?"

The speaker spewed more announcements, but Sam had tuned them out. There was only one reason she was being called to the office—prom. Did she have to? Maybe she could fake sick.

_Oh, you know you want to go._

Perfect. Just perfect.

_Yes, I'm back. Did you miss me? Anyway, once again you're in a position where you need my help. Prom. Girl, you've been elected for Queen! And if you work for it, you'll win. This school loves you, and you know it._

No she didn't. She didn't know anything of the sort. She didn't want to be Prom Queen.

_Just like you didn't want to go to that dance in ninth grade?_

That was different.

_How?_

Um…

_Exactly. You poor, misguided girl. You want to be an individual, and you are. But there is a time for individuality, and a time for true desires._

Okay, so maybe… wait. Since when did the voice in Sam's head give _good _advice?

_You redid your image. Why can't I do mine?_

True.

So after announcements, they went to the office. One of the teachers was waiting there. She smiled at the four girls.

"It's good to see you all. Now, the reason you were called is because you were nominated for Prom Queen."

Jessica was the only one who looked surprised. She was a thin girl with pretty blonde hair, if not a somewhat vacant expression. Paulina was smug; Valerie bored.

Sam was indifferent… on the outside, anyway.

"As you probably know," the teacher continued. "The Prom Queen is chosen by her classmates at the dance, as is the Prom King. In order to win, you have to be there to accept your award. If not, the crown will go to the next runner-up. We don't want any mud-slinging going on, though a little friendly campaigning is encouraged. Any questions?"

When no one answered, they were dismissed.

* * *

Tucker had gone straight home after school, but Sam decided to hang out at Danny's.

"So the news is finally out. It's official; I'm nominated for Prom Queen," she muttered, relaxing on her boyfriend's bed. He smiled and leaned over her, stopping his mouth an inch from hers. Sam whimpered.

"Did I mention I'm proud of you?" he asked, smiling.

"What? Why are you proud?" Sam tried to kiss him, but he pulled away teasingly.

"Because," he whispered, letting his breath mingle with hers. "You're an amazing person; the most I could ever want. You surprise me in good ways around every corner, and I love you. Plus, you're an individual. Through everything you've been through, you have kept your personality. The personality I fell for."

He crossed the little remaining space and rewarded Sam with her kiss, but surprisingly crushed her to him. Sam gasped at the sudden intensity, but soon became wrapped up in it. He was holding her a few inches off the bed, and she dropped her head back, letting her hair dangle and exposing her neck. Danny kissed her throat and then nipped at it, prepared to leave a reminder of his affection. "I love that I can do this to you," he murmured.

"Hmm?"

"When I hold you like this…" He pulled her tighter with one arm and lifted one of her legs around his waist. "I feel power. Like when we're together, we can beat anything. And seeing your eyes flutter closed… listening to your sighs… It lets me know I'm doing something right."

Sam lifted her head and gazed into his light blue eyes, not sure what to say. She caught his lower lip between her teeth and tugged, bringing their mouths together once more. "I love you," she whispered.

He smiled. "I know."

* * *

Sam walked home from Danny's with a permanent smile on her face.

There were so many wonderful things in her relationship with him; she often wondered when the euphoria would fade. Then she figured that she should enjoy this feeling for as long as she had it. So who cares? There were other times when she wondered why this had never happened before, but then the little voice usually showed up, so she tried to stay away from that subject.

And she thought about the future. Would she and Danny stay together? Would they get married? Have children? And if they did, would the kids have ghost powers? Would they be boys or girls? Sam grinned, knowing that if and when that day came, she would be happy enough to have a child that she wouldn't care about the gender.

And she would let her kids express themselves. She would _not _turn into her parents.

That was another thing. High school was ending. Soon, Sam would be going to the local university, studying to become a veterinarian. Tucker already knew that he would be attending that school as well, majoring in computer sciences, but Danny wasn't sure.

Because what did Danny want to do for a living? He wanted to be super-hero. Yeah, _that's _a common one on the job search engines. What classes would he take; Hero-Citizen Relations 101?

But that was Danny. Always one step behind the details, one step in front of the big picture.

Sam turned onto a side-street but was stopped short by a robust green figure.

"Halt, for I am the Box Ghost! I seek communication with the friend of Danny Phantom!"

"Oh, great. What is it now?"

The ghost paused. "Are you not afraid of my ghostly power?"

"Ah… no. So what do you want?"

He sighed. "I have come to tell you that the ghost-boy is in grave danger. There are many forces of evil at work, and he must protect himself. I will do as much as I can."

Sam did a double-take. "Wait, _what_? What forces of evil? Emlyn? And why are you helping?"

"I do not know of this Emlyn… but I am helping because without him, my plans are foiled! He is my connection to the human world! I need him so my goals will be met! For I am the Box Ghost! Ruler of all—"

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it. Listen, Danny can take care of himself, but… Thanks? I guess."

"Beware!"

He disappeared.

"Well, that was weird," Sam said to herself, continuing down the street. She hadn't gotten far, however, when someone stepped from the shadows. "What is this, trap-Sam-in-an-alley day?" But then she saw who it was. "Emlyn! What are you doing here?"

"I need you," she said and grabbed Sam's wrist. Blackness overtook them.

* * *

**Chaiya-Jack-and-Amy: **You'll all just have to wait and see about Emlyn. As for the ghost king, I can tell you that it is definitely _not _Sam. That's all I'll say.

**The-3-Amigos: **Yeah, Danny's in a bit of a predicament.

**ANIME FAN ANGUS: **Thanks!

**iamkagomeiloveinuyasha: **I updated, but left you with a cliffy! Oh! Bitter-sweet, eh?

**Snea: **Tucker is hot and bothered, but Emlyn _wants _to be hot. That will come into play later, the whole crave-the-heat thing. She's not just home-sick. FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!

**The Adversary: **The heat thing is important, that's why I stressed it so much. And Emlyn doesn't sweat. Yeah, weird, but I'll explain later. She things Sam is perfect for what she needs to do, but since Tucker won't let Sam get hurt (what a good friend!) he's going along for the ride. Was this enough fluff for you? Then again, fluff heals the soul, so I guess there is never enough fluff. But this was good for a single chapter. Isn't Danny sweet?

**XTempest888X: **I have the exact opposite problem, actually. I often get great beginning lines or scenes, but then can't figure out where to take the story. In the past, I've done things such as take a beginning of one story and a plot of another and meld them together to create one. For your predicament, I'd say that you should first think about the story in general. You say that you often come up with a middle or end of a story? Make an outline. Work backwards, thinking about what has to happen in order to get to where you are. When trying to think of a beginning segment, remember to have a hook (so it grabs the reader's interest) and a sufficient amount of description. Action scenes are exciting and catchy, but can get confusing in the beginning of stories. If you decide to start with action, make sure to interject the dialogue and verbs with some internal monologue or background information. It's the balance of these that keeps a story flowing, otherwise the reader gets tired of just one thing. Easily distracted, you know?

**Hyperactively Bored: **Heh… never saw it coming? That was the idea…

**Still trying to fly: **YOU'RE A BANDO? I LOVE BANDOS! I'M A BANDO! What instrument do you play? Is your director crazy? Cause mine is. He's great, his name is Mr. Paine. Sounds like "pain". Hehe, we all have little buttons that say, "Hop on the Paine Train!" Anyway, as I've been saying to other people, the heat Emlyn craves is a little different than your average heat. You'll see later.

_**FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!**_

**--GS**


	6. The Gray Room

**Author's Note: I think there's a curse on chapter 6s of my DP stories. So far both of them were abnormally long for what I usually write. This one, I hadn't intended it to go this far. Originally I thought it would be too short so I added this first section with Danny, but then I got caught up in the later stuff and it just escalated. Oh well, happy times for you readers!

* * *

**

**Chapter 6- The Gray Room**

Danny could smell her.

It drove him crazy; Sam's scent overtaking the room. They say scent is the strongest sense tied to memory, and he had to agree. As that light aroma wafted around him, he could see her in his mind's eye. He could taste her on his lips, and it was like his hands were still touching her.

Yeah, he was in deep.

Never before had he thought his relationship with Sam would be so… amazing. He had liked her for so long that after a while the prospect of being with her had become fantasy. Now, his fantasy world had come to life.

At the same time, though, he felt bad. Tucker was the third wheel, and though both halves of the new couple cared about Tuck just as much as they did before, to Danny it was clear that their friend was in need of someone special of his own.

Then again, Tucker had said as much himself.

Always trust Tuck to be honest with you. Except for lately. He was jumpy and tired, and wasn't saying anything about it. Something was up, but he wouldn't come clean.

So those were his two best friends. One was his new girlfriend, making his life surreal. The other was a nerdy, blunt, secretive technologist. And there was Danny, a half-ghost with no real future in the non-paranormal world.

Like a bunch of twisted, oddly colored bananas, huh?

* * *

There were voices.

"Did you have to knock her out?"

"Do you think I intended that to happen? It's a side-effect of the journey. You weren't so steady yourself when I brought you here."

"Um… right. When's she going to wake up?"

Sam opened her eyes warily, gazing up at Tucker. He seemed very tall; he was standing and she was lying on the floor. His forehead was creased with worry, staring at someone else. She shifted her eyes and they lit on Emlyn, standing nobly and self-assuredly.

"Now."

Tucker glanced down and saw that she was awake. "Sam!" He knelt next to her, helping her to sit up. She groaned.

"What's going on?"

Tucker chuckled. "That's a loaded question. Short version? Emlyn is looking to destroy the ghost king and wants your help, for some strange reason. I wouldn't let her take you without me, so we're both here."

Sam, who was coming back to her full senses, blinked. "Run that by me again?"

Emlyn stepped forward. "All will be explained in time. Sam, have you ever wanted to fight?"

"What do you mean?"

"Amity Park is known for its ghost attacks. Have you ever wanted to really fight them; be able to conquer and capture any ghost? Or even people—have you wanted to fight?"

"I—I'm generally against violence and…"

"Sam!" Emlyn stated sharply. She crouched down, putting her face close to Sam's. "This is no time to spout lines of individuality. I want to hear what you actually think. Do you want to fight? Because I can teach you."

* * *

_Crash!_

"Better, but I want more! This is too easy. There's too much fire in you for lack of experience to hamper you! Come at me."

"I am!"

The singing of blade against blade filled the small room they were in; high-ceilinged, gray, and padded. There were no doors or windows. Tucker stared wide-eyed at his best friend with a sword in her hand, swinging it like a lumberjack. Emlyn deflected her attacks with barely an effort, only using one hand.

_Smash!_

"Goodness, woman! I know this is your first time, but can't you muster some enthusiasm?"

Sam was sweating... and swearing just a little. "Sorry if I can't muster the desire to have by butt kicked!" she grunted between hits.

"Honestly; what would Danny think?"

Sam stopped and let the sword point fall to the floor, the hilt held loosely in her hand.

"What about Danny?"

"How would he feel if he knew that his lovely, individual Samantha was really so weak? I'm sure he'd want someone stronger, more agile… sexier, maybe?"

Sam's violet eyes darkened in anger. "Someone like you?" she sneered. Emlyn smiled.

"Your words, not mine."

"You can't get Danny." Sam's voice was low and dangerous; immensely threatening.

Emlyn leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially. "I can, and I might. It depends on my mood. But if I want him, I will have him."

Sam's breathing stopped. It stopped completely, held captive in her throat. In a flash her sword was up and she spun, slicing the blade through the air towards Emlyn's head. Emlyn blocked it and Sam switched attacks, sliding her sword down the length of her adversary's until she almost cut off Emlyn's fingers. Emlyn smiled and actually advanced, bringing her sword in from the right. Sam matched it and they met, the metal to metal contact shaking them both. Sam turned tightly to the left, freeing her sword and taking Emlyn off-guard, and with a straight jab, the point of Sam's weapon almost plunged into the warrior's stomach. But Emlyn dodged and stepped away, sheathing her sword.

Sam was still ready. "Fight," she said.

"No," was Emlyn's reply. "You've showed me your anger, and what it could do. That's all I was after. You have great passion, Sam. With the right training, you could be unstoppable."

"But you said—"

"I don't want Danny. You need have no fear of me stealing him from you. No man has yet taken my heart."

Tucker spoke for the first time in ages. "What would it take for a man to win you?"

Silence reigned for long moments. Then, Emlyn's gaze locked with his. "I need heat," she said solemnly. The request was simple enough, and yet the tone in her voice implied it was much more complicated.

Sam decided to change the subject. "So where are we?" she asked. "You wouldn't answer my questions before."

"Sit down. Sheath your weapon. Come closer, Tucker. I'll explain."

They came closer until all three of them sat cross-legged in a triangle.

"So…" Sam muttered when the silence had lengthened again.

"We are in what is called the Gray Room. It is a training facility in the Spirit Realm."

"You mean the Ghost Zone?"

"No," Emlyn said patiently. "The Spirit Realm; there's a difference. The Ghost Zone is a place where ghosts reside. The Spirit Realm is a place of magic. Magic and ghost power are related, though very different. You've seen what ghost power can do. Magic is for mortals, and has much more diversity. The manner in which I teleport from place to place is magic, as is this room, the others around it, and other abilities I have."

"So you're a mortal?"

"Yes," she answered, though with a strange tone in her voice.

"Okay, what else is in the Spirit Realm?"

"Anything you can imagine. With magic, anything is possible, and so the Spirit Realm is a place where nothing is _im_possible."

"How did you come to know about all this?" Tucker asked.

"It's a personal experience, and an inconsequential one. I know, and that is all that matters."

Sam listened intently, but was uneasy. This all made sense, in a twisted way, but there were so many unanswered questions. She decided it was time to ask them. "Why are you after Pariah Dark?"

Emlyn's eyebrows lifted. "Pariah Dark?"

"The ghost king."

Both Sam and Tucker were surprised when she burst out laughing. "Pariah Dark was a power-hungry dictator bent on realm domination! He was no king. No, the king I search for is much different. I was alerted to his identity by a wood nymph, but do not know his name. I know, however, that it is _not _Pariah Dark."

"Okay, but why are you after the ghost king?"

Emlyn took a long time to answer. "It goes back to the personal experience I mentioned. I am in need of revenge."

"Okay, but why do you need me?" Sam frowned, trying to keep track of the information they were receiving.

"Because you have passion, as I stated before. The fire in your eyes is valuable to me, because I do not know if I can exact my revenge alone. Prior to this, no one has caught my attention but you." She was speaking to Sam. Her eyes, however, were on Tucker.

"Right. So why come here? You said you came from Africa, but you can get to the Ghost Zone from anywhere as long as you have a portal of some kind, and I'm assuming you can reach the Spirit Realm just as easily. Why did you travel half-way across the world to Amity Park?"

"Your city is known for the ghosts attacking it and the protector hybrid. I believed the Phantom could aid me, but I have not encountered him as of yet. Well…"

"Well what?" Tucker asked when she didn't continue.

"I have met a hybrid, though not the correct one. A certain Vlad Plasmius."

"Vlad!" Sam snarled. "That guy has been after… ah… the Phantom for ages! But we haven't heard from him in a long time."

"He has been working on a plan to destroy the Phantom; that much I know. The details were not revealed to me."

A shiver of panic rushed down Sam's spine. The last time Danny faced Vlad was three years ago, when Pariah Dark was around. They had thought it strange, but counted their blessings and moved on. But to hear that Vlad was plotting something… he had the ecto-skeleton Danny's parents made and Dark's crown and ring. Who knew what damage he could inflict?

Sam looked up and caught Emlyn's eye.

"I want to learn to fight. I'll help you with what you're doing on one condition—that we face Vlad also. He needs to be brought under control or he'll wreak havoc on Amity Park and God-knows-where else. I'll work my hardest, as long as you agree to that."

Emlyn was still for a moment, but she nodded. Tucker spoke up.

"Me, too."

"What?" both women asked at the same time.

"I'll help, too. I'm a fast learner. I may not have the passion you talked about with Sam, but I'll work to help." His eyes narrowed. "Let me fight with you."

Emlyn closed her eyes and dropped her head, breathing deeply. She seemed to be thinking. By the time she looked back at them, Tuck and Sam were nervous.

"Very well," she said quietly. "You may fight with us. Now, I'll bring you both home."

* * *

The Knight of Darkness perched silently on the rooftop, staring into the black night. He blended perfectly, becoming barely a shadow among shadows.

His reputation preceded him, and he was proud of it. Destruction where he stepped, death to whom he spoke with, a fate far worse than death to whom he condemned.

He had condemned Danny Phantom.

Vlad Masters had done everything in order to get the Knight of Darkness to work with him, though he needn't have gone so far. Knight had been interested since the first mention of the ghost king.

A legend and fable to most ghosts, but Knight had seen many legends come true. The ghost king was a ghost with such power that alone he could rule the entire Ghost Zone, and even held authority in the Spirit Realm. He would be the master of all, though not the iron fist that Pariah Dark was. Supposedly, the ghost king was more subtle.

But no such ghost king had ever surfaced. Most ghosts dismissed the idea, but Plasmius had said he knew how to find the ghost king, and would allow Knight to kill him.

And that meant that finally, the Knight of Darkness would rule.

* * *

**The-3-Amigos: **I'm still working on the Box Ghost thing. That plot bunny hasn't exactly been caught by the fox yet.

**Still trying to fly: **Band trips are amazing. My freshman year our marching band went to Florida. We played in the half-time show of the Gator Bowl and marched in the Magic Light Show Parade in Disney World. My sophomore year we took a trip to West Virginia as the Honor Band in the Buckhannon Strawberry Festival. Now I'm entering my junior year, and there's talk of a trip (either next year or the one after) of a trip to Wales! Oh, I hope it happens while I'm still in high school. You play the clarinet? Awesome! I play the clarinet in concert band, but for marching I twirl flags with the color guard. No, I don't take Karate, but I've always kind of wanted to… As for the story, I can totally see the Dobby thing. Way to make a connection! Like I said to 3-Amigos, I'm not quite sure what will happen with him yet. And the make-out scenes… I'm a romantic, what can I say? To be honest, I don't think I get near the intensity in those that I want, but you readers seem to like them, so I guess it's okay! Anyway, I can't wait to see your review for this chapter (looks up) and I'll talk to you soon!

**Sakura Nights: **BG and Sam? Yuck! That fluff would kill the soul and run it through a dirty blender. I'll stick with DxS, thanks, lol.

**ANIME FAN ANGUS: **I'm glad you like it!

**spikeshellbitch:** Nasty-P is what her name says. Nasty.

**Saikyou the youkai priestess:** I'm glad you enjoy it!

**Snea:** One of my best friends is a trombone! I love you Carole… Anyway, go Bandos!

**Yayfulness:** Thanks for reviewing!

**_FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!_**

**--GS**


	7. Training

**Author's Note: Okay, this is somewhat strange for me. You see, in the novel I wrote, Mirroring Cassidy, chapter 7 was also called "Training". And in it, something very much like what happened to Tucker and Emlyn occurred. So this chapter is very dear to me, as it is connected strongly with my baby, my Mirroring Cassidy.

* * *

**

**Chapter 7- Training**

They weren't allowed to tell Danny.

Emlyn had made it clear; what they were doing was to be a secret. Tucker and Sam had understood…

But now Sam was ready to rip her own head off.

"Hey, Sam!" Danny yelled from down the hall.

"Oh, great…" she muttered beneath her breath. "Hi, Danny!" She reached up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "What's up?"

Danny's smile was sweet enough to make her heart melt. "Does there have to be something up? Can't I stop and just tell my girlfriend how much I love her?"

"Aw, I love you, too, Danny."

The following silence made his smile slip a little. "Um… is there something wrong—"

"Of course I haven't seen Emlyn!"

"What?"

"I mean—no, no there's nothing wrong. What makes you think that?"

"Look, Sam, I thought you knew you could trust me with anything."

He sounded so hurt. Sam put her hand on his shoulder. "I know. I know that, Danny."

She sent him her most pitiful look and he sighed. "Okay. I just don't like secrets between us. I've got to get to class." He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Sam tried to maintain contact as long as possible. "See you."

"See you."

She watched him walk away, her heart breaking just a little bit.

* * *

_She's keeping something from me._

Danny frowned, unable to concentrate on what the teacher was saying. What secret did Sam have? Why couldn't she talk to him like before? Was it some kind of girl thing?

Maybe that was it. Something hygienic; something Danny really didn't want to know about anyway.

He hoped.

* * *

"Take a stance."

Sam's gaze shifted uncertainly, and she turned slightly to the right. She held the long sword feebly, and Emlyn rolled her eyes.

"Wrong," she said. Her speech was clipped. She moved forward, arranging Sam's limbs like a mannequin. "You're nervous."

"Of course I'm nervous! I've got a weapon of destruction in my hands and a warrior princess molding me." She slapped Emlyn's hand, which was trying to rearrange her hips. "Stop that!"

"In order to fight correctly, you have to know how to stand. And I already told you, I'm not a princess."

"Then what are you?"

Emlyn considered before answering. "I am a woman. I am a fighter, a teacher, and a magician. I am a daughter," she finished after a slight pause.

Sam eyed her cautiously. "I don't trust you."

"If you did, I'd think you were foolish."

* * *

Two weeks passed, and Sam got better with her training. Tucker watched as she learned to wield the sword, managing to nick Emlyn a few times. Inevitably, though, his crush would deliver the "killing blow", and Sam would be forced to try again.

Tucker was more interested in the magic. When Sam was too tired to fight, Emlyn would sit across from him and tell him about the things she could do.

The way she transported was most interesting. Apparently, the magic she used spun her so fast, that she could move from anywhere to anywhere in almost the blink of an eye. The spinning is what caused the buzzing and wind. The farther she traveled, the more intense both became. That's why when she came to Danny's it was like thunder.

One day, after Emlyn had dropped Sam off, she took Tucker back to the Gray Room.

"Why are we here?" he asked, nervous of being alone with her. He was still having dreams…

"For training. Since you're going to be helping Sam and I, you should be able to defend yourself."

He looked around. "But there aren't any swords."

She stepped forward and took his sweaty hands. "We will not need swords. I see that you prefer magic, so we will proceed in that direction. First, you must know that magic is not as simple as saying Abracadabra. It takes time, energy, and concentration. It takes a trigger. It takes heat."

"What? I'm confused." He blushed, not used to saying those words.

She bit her lip, the first sign of uncertainty he had ever seen from her. "I had never planned to show anyone magic. In the beginning, I hadn't thought to bring anyone other than myself into this, other than the ghost king himself. You must understand that for most of my life, my magic has been my best… and only… friend. Sharing it is something I am reluctant to do."

"Then don't. I don't want to make you uncomfortable. I can learn something else."

"No. You see, I sense something about you. I believe you could become a master at what I will teach you, and as a child I was always told that one should work to one's full potential."

"You don't have to do this for me."

"I have to do this for me."

Tucker still didn't understand, but he was getting wrapped up in Emlyn's presence. She had a somberness about her that Tucker had never seen, and it fascinated him. He wanted to soothe the deep sadness in her eyes. "I'm ready to learn," he said quietly.

And she smiled. It was sweet and pure, and Tucker knew that her smiles were few and far between. It was gone in an instant, but Tuck knew that his secret mission would be to bring it back. Emlyn lifted their linked hands. "This connection," she said, "will allow me to show you the feeling of power. You need to become familiar with it, because once you have learned my techniques, it will become a part of your everyday life. It will seem strange at first, but trust me—you'll enjoy it. Close your eyes."

Tucker did so, but he could still feel her breath grazing over his knuckles. He could feel her hands, rough from work but slim and graceful. And he could feel her heat… the heat that seemed to emanate from her wherever she went. But as time passed, everything but the warmth had disappeared. It filled him and grew, gaining strength. Tucker was on fire, burning from the inside out. He took a deep, gasping breath, trying to satisfy his instinctive desire to release the energy. Nothing happened, however, and the heat continued to consume him.

Slowly, he grew accustomed to it. He relaxed, and allowed the sensations to wrap around him. He felt comfort and security, and he wanted it to continue. But the glow began to fade, and something urged him to open his eyes.

What he saw shocked and scared him. Somewhere along the line, his connection with Emlyn had broken. She was lying on the floor, curled into a ball and shaking. When Tucker dropped to his knees beside her, he saw that ice had formed in little lines on her cheeks—frozen tear tracks.

Acting in an instant, he lifted her into his lap and held her close.

Something exploded within Emlyn. The fire was back, but stronger than it had been since she came to Amity Park. She let it wash through her, the familiar sensations comforting her. But soon, even after the explosion had faded into the usual heat, the new and interesting comfort remained. Emlyn opened her eyes and was faced with something broad and firm.

Tucker's chest. He was holding her against him like he'd never let go, and his chin was resting on the top of her head. For some reason, Emlyn was reluctant to leave.

"I am awake," she said anyway, and he released her instantly. She climbed from his lap and sat in front of him in their usual custom.

"What happened?" he asked.

"The warmth you felt was magical power. When you perform magic, the heat fills you like it just did. After a while, it remains permanently."

"But I don't think I did any magic. Why did I get the heat?"

"I gave you mine. I wanted you to feel what it was like, so that when it happens from performing magic, you wouldn't be startled or scared. But when the heat entered you, it left me. I have been living with it for years, and the absence made me colder than I have ever been."

He frowned, lowering his eyes. "I want it again, but not at your expense."

"You'll have it again… when you learn."

* * *

**Okay, now here is where the real news is. It has come to my attention—through an e-mail, thank you Beth—that we're not allowed to respond to reviews in our chapters any more. However, I love you all too much to just ignore you. So for the people who leave detailed responses (i.e.- not just "hey that rocked") I'll be returning them by e-mail. One of my favorite parts about being on fanfiction is that I get to talk to my reviewers. And by now, you should know that. XD**

**PS to The Adversary: Please e-mail me. Your reviews aren't showing up for some reason and you don't have your e-mail posted on fanfiction. I really enjoy talking to you!**

**PPS to Still trying to fly: You absolutely must e-mail me. I so want to talk to you but, like The Adversary, you don't have your e-mail posted. Contact me!**

_**FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!**_

**--GS**


	8. Tension

**Author's Note: I considered putting an extra scene in this chapter, but I felt it would just be too long, and break my cycle of Uber-Sixes, as I now call them. I know that the chapters have seemed somewhat rushed, and this one will, too, but that's probably because _I'm _rushed. I'm writing this at one in the morning, and I have to get up at 8 for band camp. Wednesday I have an dentist appointment, Thursday I have a birthday party, Friday a hair appointment, Saturday I'm spending doing choreography, and Sunday my dad's girlfriend is having a barbeque. At the same time my best friend is egging me on, telling me she has a surprise for me, and it's driving me nuts. And I had the extra pressure of trying to get into the classes I want, because my schedule for school got messed up. I've got band camp five days a week, and that's not including parades and shows. Once school starts I'll have normal band, marching band, choir, vocal instruction, the lip-sync contest, my graduation project (shoot, I was supposed to call Mary today), the play, and all my regular classes. Somehow I have to fit in 50 hours of driving time so I can get my license and get to the barn so I can start riding again. Not to mention I have other stories to keep up with, other things to edit (mine and my friend David's), matchmaking to do, butts to kick (I'll get you, Shish), and a house to clean because if I don't my mother will explode and get goo on the walls (more to clean). So please, don't tell me the chapter sounds rushed. I know.

* * *

**

**Chapter 8- Tension**

It couldn't be him.

Emlyn shivered, curling further into herself. Her perch in the tree was precarious, made even more so by her awkward position. She was cold—very cold—and no matter how much small magic she did, nothing happened. Any larger magic and people would notice. She needed something to keep her warm, and only one thing came to mind.

No, it couldn't be him.

Earlier, while teaching Tucker, she had been so comfortable… so _hot_. She had wondered too many times if the warmth had come not from the magic, but from the boy.

But it couldn't be him! She sighed.

Yes… it could.

Barely thinking of it, she transported to his house. Silently, like the hunter she was, she crept to his bedside. Emlyn gazed down at his sleeping form, and almost instantly she warmed.

Damn it.

"Tucker," she whispered. He didn't move. "Tucker," she said again, and this time reached out to touch his shoulder.

She gasped as fire spread through her belly. She couldn't resist sliding her hand down his arm, and her knees weakened until she had to kneel on the bed. Her fingertips pressed to his bare chest. White-hot heat erupted, rippling over her spine and sending tremors through her. She braced herself on the bed, breathing deeply and staring in disbelief at Tucker.

* * *

In his dreams, he often looked up to find Emlyn leaning over him. When he saw it again, there was no surprise.

She did, however, seem different. Her hair was wind-blown and frazzled, and her eyes… For a moment, Tuck was entranced. There was unbelievable heat in them, and unbelievable desire.

Not even thinking, Tucker lifted his hands to hold her smooth waist. An odd expression came over her face; intrigued, yet scared. She had never been this way in Tucker's previous dreams, but that didn't really matter. He pulled her down, forcing her to lie on top of him. His mouth was a breath from hers. "My dreams have never been this real…" he whispered, and pressed his lips to Emlyn's.

She made a small passionate sound that made Tucker's heart pick up speed. For a moment they lay there, suspended in time, and then he felt her white-hot tongue flicking against his mouth. He opened to her and they met, tongues tasting and exploring. In response to her knee sliding up the outside of his thigh, he pulled her closer. She arched and he lifted, she gasped and he sighed. Their kiss was like a dance or swordplay; action to reaction; advance and parry.

Emlyn had no idea what she was doing. She had come to Tucker's room for an unknown reason, and when he woke up she should have stood up and walked away. But she hadn't. She had stayed, and now she was wrapped in the embrace of someone who gave her the warmth she wanted.

"Emlyn… Emlyn," Tucker murmured as his lips flew over her neck.

"Tucker," she replied, hardly aware of her own voice. "More. I want to be hot."

For three eternal seconds, he gazed into her eyes. And then, in a voice more serious than she had ever heard him, he said, "Anything for you."

He flipped her over and yanked the covers over them, and for a second Emlyn sensed fear. What had she gotten herself into? But Tucker simply pulled her back to his front, his chest strong behind her. He lifted one leg over both of hers, and his arms encircled her. Within seconds Emlyn was hotter than under the African sun. She loved it, and that was even before he touched his mouth to her shoulder. Tucker kissed his way across her nape and shoulders tenderly, making her shiver in delight.

Slowly, her senses came back to her. Emlyn was still enjoying the feelings he invoked in her, but she was more conscious of the situation. She would have to leave once he fell asleep. She hated to, but he had mentioned something about this being a dream. It would be embarrassing once he realized it was reality, and she would avoid that as much as possible.

She had no place there. Her place was Africa, or traveling. Searching for the ghost king. Exacting her revenge. Not finding passion in a place she did not look. Not lying in a man's bed, wishing she could stay there forever.

Forever…

* * *

When Tucker met his two best friends at school, both were frowning. His eyebrows lifted.

"What's up, guys?"

"Nothing," they replied at the same time.

"Hey, Danny, do you think you could help me with something at my locker? We'll see you in class, Sam."

She pursed her lips, but turned and walked away. Danny was silent all the way to Tuck's locker. When they got there, he looked around.

"What did you need?"

"I need you to tell me what's going on with you and Sam. You guys were going great! What happened?"

"Nothing happened. Nothing's wrong."

Tucker sighed. "Danny, I know you better than that. Who helped set you up in the first place? Now tell me what the matter is."

"She's keeping secrets!" Danny blurted suddenly. "I know it's not a big thing, but now she's lying about why she's so tired and today I saw a bruise on her arm—Tucker it was ugly—and when I asked her where she got it she said she ran into a door, I mean isn't that one of the most often-used excuses for when someone's beating up on you?" He took a deep breath. "I'm scared for her, I really am, and this lying and secrecy has put a strain on our relationship. I need help and I need it fast; what should I do?"

Tucker looked down at Danny's hands, which had clutched the front of his shirt, and blinked.

"Wow, that was just waiting to spill out, wasn't it?"

Danny let go. "Yeah."

"Well, I think Sam must have a good reason if she's keeping this from you. I mean, you guys have been close for so long, that she must feel this is very serious. As for the bruise…" Tucker had seen Emlyn give it to her. "Maybe she _did_ run into a door."

"I don't know… I've tried talking to her, but nothing seems to work. I hate this."

Tuck frowned. What could he do? The training he and Sam were getting from Emlyn was secret, and it was supposed to stay that way. But Danny was their best friend! Obviously the secret was already putting way too much pressure on them. But how could they just break Emlyn's confidence like that, and risk her turning on them? She could be dangerous when crossed.

"Maybe," Tucker said, an idea sparking. "You're thinking about this the wrong way."

"What?"

"You've gone to her as Danny Fenton. Now go to her as Danny Phantom."


	9. Villainous

**Author's Note: I think I've discovered why the chapters are rushed; they're too short. I've been trying to keep the down to 2-3 pages, but that's over with. It limited me to one or two scenes, and that's what seemed rushed about it. So now I've decided to end the chapters instead at where it's best for the plot. So, incidentally, that means you get longer chapters, for the most part. Okay, on to descriptions. I'm sure you all remember how Chapter 1 introduced all kinds of problems for Danny, and I've somewhat neglected them until now. Well, that's done with, too. (Walks off singing, "Ding dong ding dong, One seems to hear words of good cheer from everywhere filling the air…")

* * *

**

**Chapter 9- Villainous**

The Knight of Darkness watched the girl cross the high school lawn. To anyone else, she was just another senior, only there to admire secretly. But to Knight, she was prey. And to Danny Phantom, she was love.

Love… the ultimate weakness of all humans. Love made them foolish, reckless, and distracted; the perfect weapon.

At first glance, she seemed harmless, but she fought with the ghost boy. And Knight could tell she was strong… it was subtle, but there. He could not be stupid and simply attack, as most other ghosts had done. This required finesse.

Knight closed his eyes and slowly, he transformed. His cape melted away, his pants became black jeans, and his shirt shortened and tightened. His armor disappeared, and after a moment, so did his scars. His face smoothed and blended, changing from disfigured to handsome. In front of him he conjured a stack of books.

He smiled.

Sam was frowning as she walked. She could feel people staring at her, but it only made her angry anymore. She wished she could be left alone, forget about prom, and forget that Emlyn had ever existed.

It was getting worse… the lying. She could barely stand it, being torn between loyalties. She knew that she had no _true _loyalty to Emlyn, but with the training, Sam felt bound. She did enjoy what she was learning—and she was learning quickly.

But she missed Danny. She didn't get to see him as much, and she knew he was miffed. No, more than miffed; angry. She could see it in his eyes before they kissed, feel it in the way his hands held her. They had never had a fight like this—a silent one.

Distracted and not really paying attention to where she was walking, Sam bumped into someone. Books were spilled, body parts collided, and stars burst in front of her eyes. Sam looked up, ready to snap at whoever it was, but stopped.

He was… Sam tried to find the word. Hot? Handsome? Sexy? Gorgeous? That was it. Gorgeous. The boy had midnight black hair and deep violet eyes, a mouth that made a girl wonder what he could do with it, and shoulders broader than Canada. He looked strong and rugged, but at the same time, unsure. He was bent down, trying to gather his books, and Sam could see his muscles stretching. She swallowed thickly.

He stood up, holding his books and handing hers to her. He smiled awkwardly.

"Sorry about that. I was distracted."

He was about to walk away, but Sam stuck her hand out. He seemed startled, but shook it. She smiled. "I'm Sam."

"Dirk."

"I haven't seen you around here, Dirk. Are you new?"

"Oh, no, I'm not new. I've been around. I just keep to the shadows a lot."

She muttered in approval. "Sometimes I wish I could do the same. So, I guess I'll see you around."

"Um… yeah, sure." He hurried away.

Sam smiled, thinking there had to be a God. Thank Him for sending men as amazing as that for girls to look at.

Immediately she felt guilty. She loved Danny, and here she was staring at other guys. She sighed. It was just wrong.

Well, it was just looking…

NO!

Sam walked the rest of the way to the school, angrier than she had been before. When she met Danny, their hello kiss was almost violent, startling him and angering her further that she couldn't hide her emotions as well as she used to. When Tucker showed up and commented on their moods, it didn't make her any happier.

"Hey, Danny, do you think you could help me with something at my locker? We'll see you in class, Sam."

Sure. You go do that, guys. Sam would just go find a nice solid wall to slam her head against. She turned and walked away.

* * *

When Danny's ghost sense went off in the bathroom, it was the last thing he needed.

He transformed quickly in a stall and sped off, not bothering to find Tucker or Sam. When he found the ghost—well ghosts, actually—he nearly groaned aloud. But something about the way they were standing made him pause. He went invisible and flew closer.

"We're not capturing him now because we need more time to prepare. Plus, there's someone else watching him. We need to be careful where we're seen." Skulker had his hands on his hips, looking very argumentative.

"But you didn't have to come after me! I wasn't going to attack him. I don't have a plan!" Ember sighed. "And you denied my help. I wouldn't go against that."

Skulker's face softened. "I know. I'm anxious, I suppose, to get my plans underway. Forgive me for jumping to conclusions?"

She smiled and stepped closer. "Forgiven," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him.

They kissed, and that was enough for Danny. He flew away quickly, trying to shake the mental image they had given him.

No luck.

* * *

"Better! Keep coming at me!"

There was a solid thud as Emlyn's back hit the wall. She was smiling, egging Sam on with her indifference. Sam pressed forward, her sword crossed with Emlyn's between them, growling. Finally, Emlyn sighed.

"I give up," she muttered. Sam backed away, and immediately Emlyn was coming at her again. Sam lifted her sword and blocked the attack just in time; it had almost sliced into her arm. "Trust is weakness! Don't allow lies to get to you!" The swords clashed together, the participants leaned from side to side. They circled, parried, attacked, and sneered. Tucker watched Sam twirling through the Gray Room and knew she had improved. They had only been at training for a few weeks, and already she could hold her own against Emlyn… at least for a while.

"Just… die!" Sam screamed, lunging again.

Emlyn dodged. "That was sloppy. You're distracted, and that's not good for your form." She deflected another blow. "Get angry, get passionate! I've told you this before!"

Slowly, a change came over Sam. Her grip on the hilt of the sword tightened, and her eyes narrowed. She stepped forward with purpose, nearly chopping Emlyn's head off. She advanced, quickly backing her foe to the wall again. They exchanged blows equally until once again, they were locked. Sam glared at Emlyn.

"Don't tell me I'm distracted. It's your fault. I can't tell Danny what's going on, and it's tearing both of us apart. I refuse to lose the love of my life over some stupid battle that isn't even mine!"

She backed up and walked away, throwing the sword to the side.

"What are you doing?"

"Leaving. How do I get out of here?"

"You can't. Sit; I wish to speak with you."

Grudgingly, Sam sat.

"What?" she asked.

Emlyn sighed. "I have trained you and taught you. I can tell that you enjoy this. Yet you would give it up for a boy?"

"For this boy, yes," Sam replied immediately. There was open defiance in her eyes, and Emlyn was reminded that she wasn't much older than her two students. Probably only by about three years.

"I don't understand. How can you give up something you love?"

"It's easy if I'm giving it up for _someone _I love. Danny is one of the most important people in my life. When I'm with him, I can make everything else disappear. He's a hero, in more ways than one. He's saved my life, my mind, and my heart. I'd do anything for him—_anything_—and I won't just drop what we have because I like sword-fighting."

_A hero?_ Emlyn wondered, but ignored that for the moment. "And you'll feel like this forever, you believe?"

"Yes. When I'm with him, I'm…" Sam didn't know the word, but Emlyn did.

"Fulfilled?" She couldn't help but glance at Tucker, who was staring solemnly at them both.

"Yes. Fulfilled."

Emlyn tried to imagine the situation Sam was in; having to hide your biggest secret from the person you love. She couldn't relate. She had never been in love.

"I think," she said, gesturing Tucker forward, "that it is time for me to explain some things. I have called you both here at random times for weeks now, and you have come willingly. I thank you for that. Especially because you don't know what's really going on. You see, when I was sixteen, my father was killed viciously. I ran away and for two years I lived on the streets. It hardened me, you could say. When I was eighteen my search for knowledge and revenge took me to Africa, where I met a medicine man. He introduced me to the Spirit Realm and trained me. He also gave me invaluable clues to the reason for my father's death. Since then, I have been searching for the ghost king, trying to avenge him."

"And how old are you now?"

"I've lost track, but I'd say no more than twenty-one."

"So what does this mean for us?" Tucker asked, speaking for the first time.

"It means that by recruiting you I've brought you into my personal vendetta, possibly against your will. And at this time, I would understand if you want to leave."

All of them were silent for a long time. Finally, Sam spoke. "I'd like to help you, but I need to tell Danny, at least why I'm disappearing all the time. I can't go on like this."

"Very well, but please be vague. I don't want to bring too many people into this." She paused as Sam stood. "You said he was a hero. What did you mean?"

Sam picked up her sword, her face blank.

"We all have our secrets."


	10. Revelations

**Author's Note: BAM! I took a break, I read some fan-fictions, and now I'm back, though to all of you it seems like I never left, because I'm an update junkie! Woo! Anyway, all you people who were sitting there reading and thinking, _Yeah, yeah, but when do Danny and Sam make out? _Here's your treat. As I always say, fluff heals the soul.

* * *

**

**Chapter 10- Revelations**

Where were they?

Vlad gazed into a swirling pool of water, a magical looking glass into the world. He had been watching young Daniel and his friends for three years now; observing, noting, and looking for weaknesses. He had found Danny's in his new girlfriend—that Sam girl—and Tucker's in his humorous search for knowledge. Sam's he had not found, but he could imagine what it was.

Love. All girls were obsessed with it, and she could be no exception. That fit wonderfully into his plans, or it had until Tucker and Sam began disappearing all the time.

There could only be one solution; the two had a relationship behind Daniel's back. Vlad smiled at the evilness of it, but frowned at what it did to his goal. If Dan found out and broke up with Sam, it would eliminate two of three weaknesses. _That _did not bode well.

Knight would have to work harder. He had to lure Sam from both Tucker and Danny, and into Vlad's grasp. He stared into the water, and watched Danny sit by himself.

* * *

They were gone again. 

Danny cradled his head in his hands, thinking of his two best friends. Over the last few weeks, they had disappeared almost every day for at least a few hours, Tucker more so than Sam. If he didn't know better, he'd think they were playing him behind his back, but Sam loved him too much and Tuck wasn't that stupid. Besides, they fought too much.

_You've gone to her as Danny Fenton. Now go to her as Danny Phantom._

He had to see her. Danny transformed and flew to her room, prepared to wait for her, but she was already there. For a moment he floated, simply staring at her. She seemed tired but beautiful, and his heart filled.

He became visible, but stayed as Danny Phantom.

"Sam."

She spun around in surprise, but when she saw him, her eyes swept up and down in appreciation. Inside, Danny thrilled that she liked the way he looked.

"Danny, hi."

He began walking forward, slowly approaching her. "I love you, Sam. I hope you know that by now. We've only been together for a short while, but we've known each other much longer, and I'd like to think our relationship will last." Sam was forced to back up from Danny's advances; he was very close. "Do you realize, Sam, that you haven't told me you love me in over two weeks?" Her back hit the wall and he pressed in, grabbing her hands and pinning them above her head. They looked into each other's eyes, and Danny saw that Sam was breathing heavily. "I want you to say it."

He kissed her roughly, mercilessly pinning her to the wall. Sam was weak in his hands, and Danny was surprised by her submission. He pressed closer, inching up the bottom of her tank and grasping her with his ghost-cold fingers.

"Danny…" She didn't finish, sighing instead.

"Say it," he commanded coarsely, and he reached back to nibble and kiss around her ear. "I want to hear you." His mouth trailed down, agonizingly close to her breasts, but then veered the other way. He crushed his hips to hers. Sam's back was shifting on the wall, as if she wanted to writhe but was unable to. She moaned. "Not good enough," he said, lifting his lips from her skin.

"More…" Sam managed to gasp hoarsely.

"Not until I hear you say the words." Danny backed up almost completely, only touching her hands so she remained pinned. She slouched, as if in physical pain from his loss. She opened her violet eyes and stared into his, now green. "Say it," he said almost pleadingly.

"I…Danny, I love you. I've loved you for so long that I can't remember a time I haven't felt it. I always will, no matter what happens. I love you… and I want you." She looked down momentarily. "The space between us is too large."

Danny smiled and met her again, just as hard but less angrily. The moment they touched, Sam's leg came up to catch around Danny's hip, forcing them to meld together seamlessly. Their lips together were hot and hungry, making up for lost time. He let go of her arms, instead placing his hands on her ribs and putting more pressure on her. Sam's head rolled back when he lowered his, once again to her chest. He resisted kissing her breasts, instead brushing his thumbs along their sides.

There would come a day when officially, they would be as one forever, and then they could discover each other's secrets together. But until that day…

"I care about you too much to ruin what we have," he said, running his hands up and down her sides.

Sam came down from her euphoria gently. She nodded, but motioned to the bed.

"Sit with me. I have things I need to tell you."

He did so, and she took his hand in hers. When, after a few moments, she didn't say anything, he helped.

"Is this about why you're always disappearing?"

"Yes," she replied. "I'm being trained, Danny, in swordplay. A friend needs help of the unusual kind, and I agreed."

Danny was startled. "What about Tucker?"

"He's with me in order to be sure that I'm safe."

"Safe? What's going on? Why couldn't you tell me? I mean, it's not like I'm ignorant of the paranormal."

Sam smiled and squeezed his fingers. "We promised not to tell, and it's been killing me. Today, I was ready to walk out, because I couldn't take it any more, but I was told that you could know some things."

"Does this have to do with Emlyn?"

Sam paused for just a second. "Yes."

"What's she doing?"

"Avenging her dad's death. She didn't tell us a lot."

"Where do you guys do this?"

"The Spirit Realm. It's almost like the Ghost Zone, but for magic."

Danny stopped to take in all the news. "So you've been going off with Emlyn and Tucker, learning to fight with swords, and leaving me out of the loop?"

She could hear the anger in his voice. "Yes, but don't think we didn't want to tell you. We did."

"So now that I know, what's going to happen?"

"I'm not sure. Emlyn said she didn't want too many people involved, so I'm thinking that things might stay very much like they are now."

"That's where the bruise came from?"

There was silence for a long time.

"Yes. I got sloppy and blinked."

* * *

"Are you ready?" 

Emlyn walked back to him after dropping Sam off at home. He nodded and stood, bushing imaginary dirt from his pants. "What are we working on today?"

"You're going to do your own magic."

He stopped dead. "What?" Until now, Emlyn had been feeding him small bits of heat and magic—not enough to hurt her—in order for him to learn small magic.

"We need to find your trigger, the thing that enables you to perform magic."

"What's yours?"

"Sadness."

…Wow. Tucker stared at her a moment, thinking of how much her parent's death must have hurt her. He shook his head though, knowing Emlyn would prefer to concentrate on business. "So how do we find my trigger?" he asked.

"I know it seems silly, but guess and check. It's usually an emotion felt powerfully, or a specific memory that sparks the emotion. I need you to think, and think hard, of what it could be. When you come up with something, we'll try it. From there we're playing it by ear."

"Um… okay."

Tucker closed his eyes and thought back; trying to find a strong memory emotion he had felt in his life. There was the anger when he fought with Sam… but that was always more in fun that actual malice. The fear when he fought ghosts with Danny, but the knowledge that Danny would win kind of drowned that out. The day his fish died?

When the day your fish died is brought up in the 'strong, devastating memories' file, you know there's something wrong.

He shook his head, deciding he was looking at this wrong. Maybe it didn't have to be a bad feeling. Instead, he thought back on good times. Getting the highest score in school on the standardized test in eighth grade. Watching Amity Park flicker back to reality when Danny won against Pariah Dark. Watching a spider try to crawl up Paulina's nose.

None of it was good enough.

But something may be.

Tucker immediately blushed, and Emlyn noticed. She sent him an odd look, but Tucker wanted to do the magic so badly that he knew he had to ask her.

"Er… Emlyn? I know this may seem strange and _completely _inappropriate, but could you brush my cheek with your hand?"

She didn't want to. Well, yes she did. But she forced herself to not want to, because if she did, the heat would come. And as much as she craved heat, with Tucker it unsettled her. Damn.

"Very well." She stepped forward and gently placed her hand on the side of his face, brushing his cheekbone with her thumb.

As Emlyn tried not to faint from the heat that coursed through her, Tucker concentrated like she had taught him to do. He closed his eyes and held out his hands imagining energy seeping from every part of him to his chest. He then pushed the energy forward through his arms, and when it reached his fingers, he let it go.

His eyes opened as a glowing ball formed above his cupped palms. He spread and tilted his hands, making the light stretch and twist. Enjoying himself as heat filled him, Tucker smiled and began forming the light into shapes.

Emlyn had been forced to stop touching him. The feelings were too much. As Tucker formed his magic into a heart, a strange sense of pride and admiration filled her. She didn't need to ask what his trigger was; she knew.

Desire.


	11. Separate

**Author's Note: This one goes out to The Adversary, whose random ranting in Latin about Cost Cutters inspired me beyond reason. I hope you like the last scene. (Wink)

* * *

**

**Chapter 11- Separate**

Yeah… Sam had completely forgotten about Prom.

She had been fighting, healing, and making out so much that it completely slipped her mind. Even then, as Danny brushed aside her hair so he could have better access to her shoulder, she considered forgetting it on purpose.

But no, it was something she had to think about. So she let Danny have his way with her neck and tried to concentrate.

She fought with herself, trying to decide if she wanted to be Prom Queen. On one hand, she was sick of the attention she'd been getting since her battle with Nasty-P. On the other hand, what girl didn't secretly dream of being crowned?

She hadn't, until she was nominated.

So maybe that was it. Maybe the fact that she was nominated made her want it more. Maybe… Danny moaned softly in her ear.

Damn, that's a good sound.

"Danny, please! I'm trying to think."

He leaned back and grinned. "Should I be insulted that you're thinking while I'm kissing you?"

She smiled sweetly in return and fixed a stray lock of his messy black hair. It bounced back out of place. "Trying is the operative word. And I failed… miserably."

"Now _that's _a compliment," he joked and dove for her neck again.

"What should I do about prom?" she asked before she could be distracted again.

Danny sighed and pulled away. "Fine. If you don't want my advances, maybe I'll just—"

"Danny!"

"Alright, alright," he said, chuckling. He took her hands in his. "Sam, by now you should know that you're beautiful, and sexy, and smart, and a ton of other things that are completely indescribable." She blushed. "I think that if anyone in the history of the world deserved to be Prom Queen, it's you. But if you don't want it, I'll support that. It's your decision to make."

"But that's just it; I can't decide."

Just then, they caught sight of Tucker approaching. It was a Saturday, and Danny hadn't seen him since he found out about Sam's training.

"Hey Tuck!" Danny called and walked up to meet him. Just as Tucker was about to respond, Danny punched him in the stomach. He doubled over. "That was for not telling me the love of my life was walking herself into danger." Danny patted him jovially on the back then. "And that's for going with her. Thanks, man."

"No problem," Tucker wheezed.

"Oh, don't do that, Danny. It's not his fault. If he hadn't told Emlyn he had to be there, I'd be doing this alone. And then you'd be even angrier."

Tucker straightened, a confused look on his face. He turned to Danny and pointed a thumb at Sam. "Is she sticking up for me?"

"I think so," he muttered on a wave of icy blue breath. "Whoops. See you guys later. I'll call if I need you."

He ran behind a tree, transformed, and flew off.

Just then, a boy stepped from the shadows. He approached Sam, and when she saw him, she smiled.

"Hey, Dirk. Nice to notice you again."

"Yeah," he said shyly. "Listen, Sam, I'm having some trouble in English and since you're pretty much the only person I speak with, I was wondering if you could help."

"Sure," she said. "Come on, we'll go to the library."

"Um… I can't. They kicked me out because 'my presence brought everyone down'."

"Oh. Well then, I guess it's my house. Come on. Tucker, I'll see you later, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," he said. There was a very thoughtful look on his face. "I'm going to go hang with Em."

"Alright. See you."

Sam didn't know what Tucker and Emlyn could possibly do alone, but it was his choice. Sam knew that he still liked Emlyn, and had grown accustomed to it. So maybe Emlyn wasn't _good_ per-se, but she wasn't bad either.

* * *

Danny spun in a full circle, thoroughly frustrated. His ghost sense continued to go off, and yet he could find no ghost. He had circled Amity Park twice and paid special attention to the school, the park, and his house—three of the most specter-frequented places.

He was about to give up and leave when his sense went off again and he caught a flash of blue in the bushes beside him. Danny went invisible and intangible, floating through the shrubs.

Oh, great.

He showed himself on a sigh and stood nonchalantly. "What are you doing here?"

"I am the Box Ghost! I am the—"

"I know who you are. I asked what you're doing here."

The Box Ghost huffed. "I am protecting you, young Phantom boy. I have already approached your dark friend, but she has ignored me. It is time I took my vigilance… to the next level!"

"But… why?"

"For Skulker is after you, and I cannot let him have you! Without you, my portal to this world will be closed!"

Danny's eyebrows shot upward. "Right… um… can you keep your distance, though? My ghost sense keeps picking you up, and I won't know if Skulker is nearby."

The Box Ghost saluted and flew away. Danny slumped, smacking a hand over his eyes.

* * *

Tucker flipped through the pages of the book, speed-reading.

He was holed up in the back section of the library, poring over any and all literature on magic he could find. Most of it was about Wicca or the Salem witch trials, but every once in a while…

"Yes!" He bent low, using his finger to follow along the text. "Though levels of magic vary from person to person, it has been determined that aside from the strong emotion needed to spark it, the use must also have some history with the paranormal to… Wait, history with the paranormal? Would ghosts count with that?"

"No," replied a voice from behind him. He whirled around, but then smiled.

"Oh, Emlyn. You startled me."

She sat down beside him. "Though ghosts are paranormal, what this book is talking about goes deeper." She looked him up and down. "What I don't understand is how you've managed to have so much contact with ghosts. I know this town is famous for them, but you seem to know them on a farther level."

"I… uh… well, you know how I am."

"No, I don't."

"Oh." His eyes shifted back and forth. "I'm always looking to learn something new. I like investigating the ghost activity here."

Emlyn paused for a long moment before nodding. "Okay. So what was your encounter with the paranormal?"

"Well, there was—no, that was a ghost. How about the time—no. That was a ghost, too." He caught her gaze and held it. "I don't know."

"Come on," she said quietly. "Let's put these back and head to the Gray Room."

"Okay." They put the books away and walked together behind a tall shelf, hidden from everyone else's view. They stood there for a minute until Tucker spoke. "Um… what are we waiting for?"

"You. You're taking us this time."

"What?" Worry flashed through him. "I don't know how!"

"Shhh… just relax. Just close your eyes and imagine yourself spinning. Feel the air move over your skin; sense your feet leaving the floor. Use your trigger and go. Just remain confident."

He tried to clear his mind as he had done so many times before. Tucker made a picture of himself in his head, and that watched as the mirror image twirled in quick circles. After a moment, a light breeze rushed over his arms and around his face. Not long after that, a weightless feeling took him over and his feet left the ground. He reached out blindly and grasped Emlyn's hand, and the next time he opened his eyes, the familiar pale walls of the Gray Room faced him. Tucker's eyes widened and he turned around to see Emlyn beside him, smiling proudly.

"I did it? I teleported both of us here?" She nodded. "Yes!" Tucker shouted and lunged forward. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her, spinning her around and around the room. "I really did it!" he said, setting her down but not letting her go. Emlyn chose not to mention it.

"Yes, you did. I knew you could."

He grinned down at her, and she smiled back. As they stood there, Tucker became acutely aware of her slim waist beneath his palms; the fronts of her legs touching his; a light fragrance he had never noticed before.

And then other things began to change. The natural light of the room dimmed, and the entire atmosphere softened, as if a muffler had been put around it. The floor suddenly didn't seem as hard; the walls not as confining. "What…" Tucker began, turning away.

But Emlyn reached out and touched her hand to his cheek, guiding his gaze back to her.

"Hush," she murmured. "Don't worry about it. Just look at my eyes." He did, and was immediately captured. "I want you to back away from me, but maintain eye contact at all times." Tucker backed away about two steps and dropped his arms to his sides, but did as he was told and kept himself lost in the blue-green pools. "Good," she said. "Now, imagine your heat—your magic—not as energy inside you, but as an aura around you, surrounding you completely."

He stared, mentally seeping the magic out from inside of him and letting it envelope him entirely. He grew warmer, but by then was accustomed to it. "I feel it," he said. "What's going on?"

"Just hold on," Emlyn replied. For a second her pupils dilated, but they returned almost instantly to their normal size. "I'm going to step toward you. Just keep eye contact."

She came forward very slowly. She lifted a hand and pushed it toward him, but before she even reached him, he could feel a kind of pressure, like she was touching the outside of a thick piece of clothing. She spread her fingers and tilted her hand level, parallel to the ground, and then reached out further. The pressure disappeared, and her hand came forward to rest on his shoulder.

Tucker was fighting to hold her gaze. He wanted to break away and look around, because he felt like something had changed, but he remembered Emlyn's words and continued to stare. Slowly she was coming forward, bringing herself closer to him. The pressure began to appear and disappear at seemingly random places, but the relaxation was always followed by the touch of her body to his. Heat took him over, but he wasn't sure if it was from her or the magic. Finally, when she was completely pressed against him, she smiled mischievously. Tucker's lips pursed.

"What did you just do?"

"Just look around."

For the first time in ages, he tore his eyes from hers and viewed his surroundings. They surprised him immensely.

They were, it seemed, encased in a tight cocoon of swirling colors. Blue, red, yellow, purple, and green blended around them; giving him the impression he was on the inside of an animated Faberge egg. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and it completely confused him.

"What is this?" he asked, turning back to her.

"This," she explained, "Is one of the most complicated tricks known to the universe. Almost all magicians know the process, though few have done it. It's called 'sharing magic'."

"But I thought we'd done that before, at the beginning of my training."

She shook her head, and her close proximity allowed her hair to brush at his chest. "I gave you bits of my magic then. This is both your power and mine, taken from two separate entities and brought together to make one. Think of the colors as parts of us. See how they shift with and around each other?"

Emlyn watched as Tucker took in what was happening. Unconsciously, his arms had come around her again, but she didn't mind. As he observed, she debated. She thought back over the short time she had spent with the boy—no, man—and compared it to the feelings she was experiencing. Logically, it shouldn't be this strong.

But was love ever logical?

So the question came down to whether or not she was going to say anything.

"This is amazing…" he murmured in awe, and then smiled. "Way better than de-bugging an operating system."

She took a deep breath. "You can de-bug my operating system any day."

"What?" His head whipped around. Emlyn laughed.

"Okay, so that made no sense. I'm new at this flirting thing." When he just stared at her blankly, she rolled her eyes. "Oh, hell. Just kiss me!"

She didn't wait for him to respond, simply yanked him down and pressed her lips to his.

If she had been warm before, she was ashes then. The knowledge that Tucker was fully awake and completely knowledgeable that this was real made the kiss even more enticing than it had been. Emlyn wrapped herself tightly around him, hanging on for dear life.

Tucker could barely believe this was happening. He had imagined it so many times, but reality made the dreams pale in comparison. His arms tightened and she was crushed to him. Emlyn made a light sound in the back of her throat and his blood pressure soared. But something tripped in the back of his mind.

_She made a small passionate sound that made Tucker's heart pick up speed. For a moment they lay there, suspended in time, and then he felt her white-hot tongue flicking against his mouth._

He broke away, astonished.

"It wasn't a dream," he stuttered.

"No, it wasn't." She knew exactly what he meant.

"But…"

"Please. I—I can't really explain," she said, her eyes pleading. "Just accept that this is now, and it's real. Please?"

She could see his indecision.

And then his hands dove into her hair and he pulled her head back. His mouth closed over the skin on her throat, and she was lost forever.


	12. Tension and Action

**Author's Note: Wow, it's been forever! I give you guys a thousand apologies for not updating in like… a week… but I'll make it up to you, I promise. And I know this chapter is short, but I wanted to end on a cliff-hanger, and this was the only way to do it. Again, a million apologies. You see, I just broke up with my boyfriend, and I've had band camp the past two weeks from 12:30 to 5:00. My mind has just been completely other places, but now it's back to you. I've decided that it's getting to a point in the story where I've told enough people and we're close enough to the end that you can know. This will be a trilogy. Yes! There's a third story to be coming out after _Knight of Darkness_. You see, I figured since _Oh, It's On _centered on Sam, and this one centers around Tucker mainly, that Danny deserved a story, too. Don't you agree? Yes, you do.

* * *

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**Chapter 12- Tension and Action**

"So in the text, he used repetition to point out the single-mindedness of the character?"

"Exactly. A lot of times it's used so the reader remembers a certain phrase, but also for the reason we're discussing."

"Wow. I just never understood this when the teacher was explaining it. Thanks again, Sam."

She smiled. "No problem. I usually do pretty well with English, so I don't mind helping."

She and Dirk had been working for two hours, going over various literary terms and techniques. He was actually fairly smart; he just had difficulty understanding the in-class discussions. Sam looked over and her eyes caught his. For a second she stared, but then remembered where she was. She shook her head, trying to clear it.

She had been comfortable coming back to her house to study. Now, she wasn't sure it was such a good idea.

There was something about Dirk that made her uneasy. At the same time, however, he had such a capturing gaze. And, as she had mentioned before, he was drop-dead gorgeous. But thinking these things made Sam feel guilty, and she missed Danny because of it.

"You're quite pretty," Dirk said suddenly.

Sam blinked. "Um… thank you?"

He smiled shyly and ran his fingers through his black hair. "I know it's completely inappropriate, but I couldn't stop thinking it, and I had to say it."

"Listen, Dirk." She sighed. "I have a boyfriend, and I—"

"Sam," he said and took her hand. Her vision was filled with him suddenly, and her heart skipped. His hands were cold. "I understand. It's just… I can't get you out of my mind." He leaned forward and she thought he would kiss her, but instead he simply touched his lips to her forehead and backed away. "I'd better go," he said, gathering his books. "I'll talk to you soon."

* * *

Danny watched Sam as she sat on her bed, absorbed in a book with headphones over her ears. He smiled.

_She's amazing._

He walked forward, but she didn't notice him until he was almost on top of her.

"Danny!" she said. She smiled and put the book aside, slipping off her headphones. "Where's Tucker?"

"He's on his way." Danny reached out at took Sam's hand, bringing it to his lips.

She was touched. "What was that for?"

"Because I don't tell you enough that I love you."

"But Danny, you tell me every day."

"It'll never be enough."

"Oh, jeez, I have to watch you two do this _again_?"

Sam was startled, but Danny turned his head calmly. "Tucker, you always pick the worst times to come in."

"It's a gift."

Their best friend walked over and sat on the other side of Sam. He stared at the two of them, and thought of himself and Emlyn. He had lost all sense of time the day before; it was a blur between the kissing, the holding, and the explanations.

He had still been somewhat confused on the notion of sharing magic. Emlyn explained that a person could take their magic and use it to form a blanket around them. Both he and Emlyn had done that. The interesting part was the joining. Apparently, if two people trusted each other completely, they could break through each other's magic and make it become one; a joint power.

Tucker had known he trusted Emlyn, but the fact that she trusted him made his head spin.

He brought himself back to the present. "So how was your study session with Dirk?"

Danny's attention perked. "Dirk? Who's Dirk?"

"Some guy Sam knows," Tucker explained. "He needed help with English."

"Yeah. About half-way to my house his mom called and said he needed to go home. We're going to reschedule."

"How much do you know about him?" Danny asked, frowning.

Sam smiled and brushed his cheek with the backs of her fingers. "He's a senior. Kind of Goth-ish, kind of quiet, very shy. You don't have to worry about anything."

"Alright." He nodded, but didn't look happy.

Sam sighed. "I know the three of us haven't spent a lot of time together lately," she said quietly.

"Don't worry about it." Danny took her hand again. "I understand you both have things to do with Emlyn."

"But that doesn't mean we can shut you out, Danny. I think we should all do something together."

Blue fog flowed from Danny's mouth. "I can think of something," he said.

* * *

"We just wait here, and when he comes…"

"You don't have to wait any more, Skulker. I'm here. But you won't be seeing me long, because you'll be in the Thermos in about three seconds."

"It took you longer than that to make the speech," Ember sneered, and she floated from behind Skulker. Danny's eyes widened.

"Both of you? Great, just try to keep your hands off of each other."

Behind some bushes, Sam and Tucker gave each other appalled looks. "Hands off of each other?" Sam asked, her mouth hanging open. "Are they… together?"

Skulker reached out and grabbed Ember's waist, pulling her close. "I'll do what I want. And I want you gone. For good!"

Skulker flew at Danny, but Danny dodged the attack, veering to the right and shooting himself quickly at Ember. He punched her in the stomach, and she doubled over, but was straight again in an instant. A wicked smile crossed her face as she adjusted the dial on her guitar and strummed a power chord. The energy that came from her instrument washed over Danny and he was thrown backwards onto the ground. Groaning and sitting up, Danny sneered. "What, no love spells this time? I didn't think you had any actual fight in you."

"Oh, I got plenty of fight. And plenty of pain for you!"

She flew forward and spun, catching Danny in the chest with a hard kick. He was propelled backward into Skulker, who caught him in a headlock. It was then that Sam stepped out behind Ember and opened the Thermos she was carrying.

"See you later, drama diva!"

"Oh, not the thermos again!" Ember was caught in the rays, and pouted as she was sucked into the container. As Skulker watched as his love was defeated, he lessened his grip on Danny's neck and Danny kicked backward, hitting him in the leg. Skulker shouted and let Danny go, but regretted it immediately when the ghost-boy spun and caught his chin in an upper-cut. Skulker grunted and tried to counter-attack, but Danny was too fast. He flew quick circles around the hunter until Skulker was dizzy, and then sent Sam the thumbs up. It was Tucker, however, who caught Skulker in the Thermos.

"Thanks, guys," Danny muttered between deep breaths as he flew down to them and changed back into his human form. "I couldn't have done it without you." He lifted his arm and Sam came to him, resting her head on his shoulder and smiling.

"It just proves that we still make a good team," she said, and Tucker agreed.

"And just where do I fit in the team, Danny Phantom?" asked a voice from behind them. They turned quickly, and then Tucker groaned, Sam gasped, and Danny scowled.

"Emlyn," he greeted icily.


	13. Dark Thoughts

**Author's Note: Yeah, so I wrote this like right after I posted Chapter 12. Apparently people thought that was the last chapter, and I had to think, "Are you kidding?" I mean, we haven't figured out how Vlad will finish his plan, what was going to happen with Dirk, if Emlyn was going to get her revenge, how the relationship with her and Tucker would work out, and have you all forgotten—again—about Sam's Prom Queen nomination? I know it seems almost meaningless at this point, but trust me, it's important. I had planned on Sam missing prom, but now I'm not so sure… Anyway, my point is, this plot isn't close to finished.

* * *

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**Chapter 13- Dark Thoughts**

She was standing there in her full glory—leather, steel, and attitude. She stood with one hip cocked to the side, both arms flung down beside her. She didn't look like a warrior princess. To Tucker, she looked like a warrior goddess.

"You don't," said Danny, and everything crashed down. "You've learned my secret, and I can't stop you from telling it, but leave. You've taken my girlfriend's time and my best friend's mind…" He was interrupted by Tucker's shout of indignation. "But you won't have a place in my life. I want you gone. Now."

Emlyn's face had tensed not halfway through his speech. Her hands fisted and she walked over slowly, stopping perhaps a foot from Danny.

"I'm not going anywhere. I've got issues to avenge and people to train." She shot a glance at Sam. "I won't give up the opportunity. Your friends are special, Phantom. You're not the only one."

Danny was caught between telling her to walk and asking her what she meant; Tucker could see it. "What do you mean?" he asked, saving his friend the trouble. Emlyn's eyes shifted to Tucker and softened.

"Even I don't know. But you need to understand. I believe halting training would be a grave mistake. It's an instinct, and I always trust my instincts."

"Well, I'm sorry, but my instincts are telling me not to trust you. You need to leave."

Emlyn's lips thinned, and she stepped back.

"I'll leave, but I'll take Sam and Tucker with me. We've got training to do."

She flicked her fingers, beckoning them. Tucker walked forward, passing Danny with a sad look. He stood next to Emlyn, assuring himself that he would patch things over with Danny later. He would understand.

Sam was fighting with herself again. She looked between the two opposing forces, both frowning. But there was something in Danny's eyes that wasn't in Emlyn's—confusion. He was gazing down at her with a hopeless, lost look on his face, and it was tearing her apart.

_Leave him_, said a voice inside her head, and it wasn't the one she was used to. _Leave him, and take what you want. You want to fight, so leave him._ Her foot moved forward of its own accord, and she had to fight to keep from walking away. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to will herself to stay where she was. Danny, however, gave her a gentle nudge. She opened her eyes to stare into his, now a lighter blue than she had ever seen them.

"Go," he said huskily. "Your indecision says more than words ever could. If you can't choose between the man you love, whom you've known for years, and a warrior you met only weeks ago, then I'm not sure if I want you."

_Leave him._

She left.

* * *

Sam twirled her sword through the air, swiping gracefully at her adversary. Emlyn countered quickly, drawing out Sam's talent with her quick parries. Sam thought fast and lunged, just barely missing Emlyn's ribcage. Emlyn was sweating. She pushed Sam away, but before Sam could come back, she formed a ball of light in her hand and threw it at the ground. It flashed, blinding Sam momentarily. 

When the light faded, Sam scowled. "That was cheating."

"You shouldn't expect your enemies to play fair. And, you never know who is a magician or a ghost or not. After time, you may come to sense it, but until then you'll need another form of protection."

"And what's that?"

"Here," she said, and began to dance her hands through the air. She held them out, and in them, from thin air, formed an intricate blade of shining silver with a twisted, jeweled hilt. "It can block any paranormal attack, but you must block broad-side. If you try to slice at a spell, it will simply hit you anyway."

"I—I don't understand. We've only been training a few weeks, and already you're giving me this kind of gift?"

"Already you are at the level you can handle it."

Sam took the sword and held it in her own hands. "This doesn't make sense. From what I know, it takes average people years to master swordplay."

"It does."

"Then why—"

"You aren't average."

This caught attention.

"What?" Tucker asked, coming forward.

"You heard what I said about you two being special. I stand by that statement. Sam, I know Danny's secret. Could you please tell me the whole story?" Sam was uneasy, but did so. When she was finished, Emlyn was nodding. "It makes sense. By any chance, did you get hit by the blast that transformed Danny?"

"Well, yes. I was closer to the portal than Tucker."

He blinked. "You never told me that."

"I never told anyone."

Silence stretched, but Emlyn cleared her throat. "It seems to me that when Sam got hit, something changed within her as well. She isn't part ghost, but she has abilities—agility, quick learning, speed—that other people don't. It's why you have done so well here in such a short time."

"But… I can't be special. I'm just a Goth trying to be individual and avoid the crowd at the same time."

Emlyn shared a small smile. "If that isn't special, I don't know what is. Come, I'll take you home."

Sam left with Emlyn, and Tucker waited. She came back after only moments, and he stepped forward.

"Emlyn, we have a lot to talk about."

She sighed. "Yes, I know. I'd rather not, but we do. Here; sit down. Now, I know you're upset about what happened with Danny."

"Why did you make me choose like that?"

"Because I needed to test you. A true magician has to be able to give up everything for a cause, whether it is training or vengeance. Why did you choose me?"

"Because a true magician has to be able to give up everything for a cause."

She was startled, and she stared at him. He stared back. They remained like that for moments on end, and then Emlyn lunged forward and tackled him. Their mouths met in a frenzy of passion and confusion. During breaks to breathe, she spoke to him. "I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know what I'm feeling. All I know is that with you, everything else fades away. When I'm with you, I'm…"

"Fulfilled?" he asked.

"Yes. Fulfilled." She kissed him lightly, almost reverently. Tucker closed his eyes and slowly, they were both enveloped in the blanket of his magic.

"I'll always keep you warm," he whispered.

* * *

The doorbell rang, and Sam ignored it. She was sitting in her room, her knees drawn up to her chin. What had she done? 

Danny was hurt deeper than she had ever seen. He would probably never speak to her again, simply because she had chosen to fight. But why had she chosen that? She remembered the overpowering urge, the indecision, and the pain. But things were fading, until she was left only knowing that she had made the right choice.

The doorbell rang, and she rose to get it.

It was Dirk.

"Are you crying?" He reached out to brush away a tear.

"I was," she said, and wiped her cheeks. "What's up?"

"I wanted to see you," he said, and she noticed his hand had not left her skin. She blushed. "Can I come in?" he asked.

She nodded and stood aside, letting him through. Dirk led himself into the living room, and Sam followed.

"Dirk…"

He sat down on a couch. "Sam, something's wrong. Come and tell me what it is. You can trust me."

She sat down. She told him what was wrong, that she and Danny had broken up and now she wasn't sure what to do. Dirk put his arm around her and comforted her as she wept. When she looked up from his shoulder, his deep eyes were compassionate.

_Kiss him_, said that strange voice in her head. _Kiss him. He's warm and honest and comforting, and he's helped you. You want him._

"I don't know…" she said aloud, and he lifted his hand to her chin.

_Kiss him._

She kissed him.

* * *

Danny had been wrong. Emlyn did fit in the team. It was he who did not. 

And it killed him.

He could imagine them standing together as they had before Emlyn transported them away. He could see them like that after some battle, or after Sam won Prom Queen, or when Sam had mastered a new skill with the sword.

Sam…

He tried to hold it back, but a tear slid down his cheek.

She was gone, and it left him emptier than he had ever felt in his life. Sam had been the one always beside him no matter what. In his mind, she was fearless; faultless. And she had left. She had listened to him and walked away, when all he wanted to do was scream at her to come back, even after what he had said. Why hadn't she understood? Before, she had always understood. She had known him better than he did, and it was that connection that had proved their love. Did it disappear?

His gaze slid to the left and he spotted the Fenton Thermos lying on his floor. Skulker and Ember were still inside. He could let them out and fight them; work off this sadness and excess energy.

Or he could pretend the Thermos had opened on accident, and let them attack him from behind.

Either would work, and both were feasible options. Danny stared at the device, mentally weighing the pros and cons. Sam was gone. Tucker was gone. They had left him for Emlyn, a woman they barely knew. Just like that, they disappeared.

He reached for the Thermos.

* * *

He was winning. 

Vlad smiled evilly while sitting in his wing-backed chair. Sam was out of Daniel's life and in the Knight of Darkness's, and Tucker had left even before her, choosing to go with that other woman, whoever she was.

Daniel's life was about to end, figuratively and literally. He would make sure of that.

* * *

**Ack! So I just had to put another A/N down here. This chapter is totally the darkest of them all, especially since it's number 13. Uber! Anyway, I know you're all sitting there with your eyes bugging out going, "Wait a second... no... what? The plot just went to hell, exploded, and rose from the dead as a completely different form!" But trust me, I know what I'm doing. And no, this isn't the last chapter either. In fact, neither is the next one. Or the next one, I don't think. That's kind of far off though, so I'm not sure. Anyway, even then you can rest easy because of the third story in the trilogy coming out, so you'll have more to freak out over because I screw with things. And here I am, rambling on about basically nothing, just driving you nuts.**

**FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL**


	14. Thoughts of Life, Death, and Dresses

**Author's Note: Yeah, it has been _forever and a half _since I updated, but I'll tell you it absolutely wasn't my fault. I've had this chapter done for _more _than forever and a half, but my cable modem decided to mutiny and I haven't had internet. I won't again until Tuesday, but I'm back at the beach so y'all got lucky, because I figured out how to write files to a CD. I'll tell you now that I actually have this story completely finished, and I'm just waiting for internet options and reviews so I can post the rest. After this story, I'll be taking a short break so I can get a chapter or two posted for Casper High: School of Witchcraft and Ghostery, because people keep asking for it and you guys know how I hate to disappoint… (Gets lost in the energetic beat of "Carnival") Sorry, got a little distracted there. Anyway, this chapter is actually like the calm before the storm, because Chapter 15 deals with prom, the ghost king (yes, finally!), and this whole Dirk/Sam thing.**

**Chapter 14- Thoughts of Life, Death, and Sparkly Dresses**

Cold spread through Sam like a winter flood, and she jerked away. "No," she said, her face both pleading and appalled. "You can't be a…"

"A what?"

"A… a ghost!" She jumped up and away, moving backwards. "You tricked me. You deceived me! This is all a trap!"

Dirk rose and came forward. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Sam. I'm not a ghost."

_He's not a ghost. _The voice was back again. _He isn't a ghost; you're just hallucinating because you miss Danny. There's no way that he…_

"You're lying. It's you in my head, I know it."

"Sam!" Dirk reached forward and grabbed her arms, pulling her close. She shivered, but couldn't help but stare at him. Their eyes caught and held, and everything faded from her mind.

"You're right," she said after a long while. "I'm being silly. You can't be a ghost. I'm sorry." She hung her head in shame, but Dirk tilted it up again.

"Don't feel bad. It was just a simple mistake. Come on, let's go for a walk."

"Okay," she said, and followed him out the front door.

* * *

Tucker let the heat flow through him and smiled. It happened more quickly now, and he reached out his hands. Above them formed a thin wall of energy. He elongated and shaped it with his fingers until it was taller than him.

"Okay, hit me."

Emlyn formed her own energy ball, and sent it flying toward him. The wall in front of him stopped it. "Good job," she awarded.

He smirked. "Bigger. Was that the best you can do?"

"You're too sure of yourself." Even so, she propelled another, stronger spell at him. This one was also blocked. She continued to fire, each attack becoming larger and larger. It didn't take too long for Tucker to start sweating and the thick power of his shield to bend. He held his ground, however, even when Emlyn was doing her best to bring him down. When finally she relented, Tucker's spell was still intact. Both of them were breathing heavily. She stepped forward and he dropped his wall. "That was excellent. It was stronger than I expected."

He smiled. "So what else can you teach me?"

"Most of what I know is battle spells; manipulating energy to defeat an enemy or defend yourself." She shrugged. "I do have a few other tricks up my sleeve, like the conjuring spell I used to give Sam her sword."

"Conjuring? You made it out of thin air?"

"Basically. However, anything conjured always has some magic quality to it. Like the sword; it shields against paranormal attack."

"Can you show me?"

Emlyn nodded and moved her hands in the same motions she had when forming Sam's sword. In a few moments, she was holding a fat candle in her palms. She held it far from her, and moments later the flickering flame burst into tiny fireworks. As Tucker watched, she held the candle in one hand and waved the other over it. Slowly, the entire thing disappeared. "To conjure, bring your hands up and towards you, and then move as if you're pushing something away. Next, cross them over like this, and then bring them together to receive the object. You saw how to get rid of it. Try."

Tucker moved slowly, making sure he had the motions precisely. As he signaled, magic rushed from him and in his mind, he pictured what he wanted to conjure. When he held out his hands, in them formed a blooming lily blossom. After a moment, tiny sparkles burst from it and landed in Emlyn's hair, making it glitter. He tucked the flower behind her ear and smiled. "You shine," he said.

Emlyn's eyes were wide before she began to blink rapidly. She touched the lily gently. "How am I supposed to resist you when you do things like this?"

"You're not. You're supposed to let me dote on you and shower you with magical flowers and kiss you until you need nothing else in the world."

She pointed a finger accusingly at him. "There it is again! You're slick, Tucker, and I have no idea how you haven't found a girl before this. I'm freaking out because I don't know what's happening to me. I'm not a gushy person, Tuck! This isn't normal!"

He stepped close and put his hands on her hips. "I haven't found a girl before… because I needed a woman."

She sighed. "Oh, hell. I'm done for."

* * *

Vlad's eyes widened as he watched Danny. What was the boy doing? Skulker and Ember were in that thermos, and if they escaped, Danny would have to fight them again. And yet, he pressed the release button and let the thermos fall to the floor behind him. He turned around and pretended to be interested in something else. Ember and Skulker rose from their prison, and when they saw Danny, immediately set their guard to fight. But he seemed not to notice them, and their expressions became thoughtful.

Vlad stumbled back. No! Young Daniel couldn't be… committing suicide! But then he would be… he would be… dead!

And though Vlad wanted him dead, he wanted it on certain terms. He wanted Danny to suffer first.

He changed form and flew swiftly away.

* * *

"Why hasn't he sensed us?"

Ember whispered quietly to Skulker, who hushed her further.

"I'm not sure. But for whatever reason, we're going to take advantage of it. We'll attack on three."

Danny could hear them of course. They had been arguing back and forth for the past five minutes, and honestly it was becoming annoying. He had opened the Thermos looking for a quick, easy out, but he was regretting it. Even living was better than listening to those two bicker.

Maybe living was better than death in general. Danny had been thinking hard for the last few minutes, and he came to a few conclusions. One: he missed Sam. That was obvious. Two: he didn't hate Emlyn. That was a new one. Yeah, he resented her for taking his friends, but it wasn't completely her fault. And, from what he knew about her, she was lonely. In a way, he could understand her desire for friends. After all, he desired that, too. Three: there was something going on with Tucker. He had been acting strangely for weeks now—yes, since the training—but even after Danny found out, there was a strange quality to him. It was like Tuck was hiding something, but actually didn't _want _anyone to know. Sam seemed clueless, too. Four: he missed Sam. Yes, he had said that already, but it kept coming up in his mind. He supposed that he couldn't just give up on her. They had shared so much together that honestly, it was outside his realm of possibility that they even _could _break up.

Five: he wanted to live.

And that was, he guessed, the kicker. He turned suddenly and shouted his battle cry of, "Going Ghost!" He barely noticed the outline of someone watching in his window.

Vlad saw the change, and stopped himself from going in there to help. So Daniel had decided to fight after all? That was good news for everyone, and Vlad had to smile as he watched Skulker and Ember be sucked, once again, into the Fenton Thermos.

Danny capped the thermos and let out a satisfied sigh when it clicked shut. He had beaten them again, and it lifted his spirits. He changed back to his human form and sat on the bed, thinking.

How was he going to get Sam back?

* * *

Tucker sat between them, but didn't speak to either of them. He, Danny, and Sam had been so disconnected lately that it was beginning to show, even to outsiders. Sam-worshipers had come to him, asking if she was sick, and if there was anything they could do. "She'll be Prom Queen," they all said as if there were no question.

And that was, actually, an issue. Prom was only days away. For a week and a half the three friends had been estranged, and prom had snuck up on them. Danny had told Tucker he was going, and Tuck relayed the message during one of Sam's training sessions. Yes, he was still attending hers. Just because he trusted Emlyn didn't mean he wanted to lose the little time with his fried he still had. Sam said she was taking Dirk to the dance.

But Tucker would rather not think about that stealing, dirty, conniving, scum from the… he'd stop there. He didn't know much about the boy, and he didn't want to. Dirk had stolen Sam from Danny, and that was enough to put him on Tucker's hit list.

Tuck had decided not to go to prom. He would be with Emlyn, furthering his training and trying to further their relationship. When he was touching her she seemed willing and enthusiastic, but every day he had to start from scratch, because overnight she would somehow come to the decision that they didn't belong together.

"This isn't my place," she said continually.

"What is your place?" was his argument. He would try to joke: "Hey, suga, you got a man back at the crib waitin'?" or "Ooh, is there some deep dark secret you're not telling me?" but silently he wondered. Was there some other person in her life? Not a boyfriend, he believed her when she said that until now, romance had not been any part of her plans. But perhaps she had family besides her dead father that she simply hadn't mentioned, or close friends that were counting on her to come home. Or what if there was some secret she was keeping? Maybe she'd killed hundreds of people, or she was masochistic, or she was a desert monster that needed to return there at least once a year to make some kind of transformation. He sighed.

"My place is seeking vengeance," she always answered.

"Sam and I are helping you with that. Once it's over, where will you go; the moon?"

A small smile would form on her lips. "Perhaps."

Tucker answered a question the teacher posed to him automatically, barely paying attention. Once done, he let his head fall to the desk in frustration.

He didn't care if she was a masochistic desert monster who had killed hundreds of people. He would love her anyway.


	15. Caught

**Author's Note: Yeah, you're getting this one a day after the last one. I felt bad for taking so long to post last time. So here you go. This is Chapter 15, and no, of course it isn't the last chapter. This is like the final rising action to the first climax. Yes, there's more than one. Oh!

* * *

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**Chapter 15- Caught**

Sam stared at herself in the mirror. She ran her hands over slim waist and hips, and then let them fall to her sides. The dress she wore was classic black, sleeveless, and swept her feet with waves of fabric. The long gloves she wore were violet and had the fingers cut out. Climbing their lengths were intricate black Celtic designs that matched the medallion she wore at her neck. Her hair was swept up and back, but delicate tendrils hung by her temples. Her expression was sad, but did not detract from her beauty.

Downstairs, the doorbell rang, and she let the butler answer it. She could hear men's voices, and then the intercom in her room buzzed. She pressed the button to answer.

"Yes, Simon?

"Miss Manson, your date for the dance is here."

"Thank you. I'll be right down."

She lifted her finger from the button and turned back to the mirror.

_This isn't right,_ said a tiny, pained voice in her mind. This one was one she was used to.

Of course it was right. She looked amazing, Dirk was waiting downstairs, and she would win Prom Queen. What was wrong?

_He isn't right. Sweetie, I don't know what's happened to you. You were so happy until he came along. That Dirk boy. Don't let him near you. Don't let him—_

Sam would let who she wanted where she wanted. Dirk cared about her.

She pushed the nagging voice aside and grabbed her purse.

The ride to prom was quiet and uncomfortable. Dirk seemed anxious about something, but when Sam asked, he simply said it was nothing for her to worry about. Things were tense at work, that was all. Sam nodded and relaxed.

The hall where prom was held was beautiful. Magnificent draperies hung from the ceiling and windows, and the carpet was plush. Dinner was served first; a nice meal that Sam refrained from, opting instead for her usual salad. She and Dirk ate alone, though other people came over to say hello. Sam looked around, but she didn't see Danny. She knew Tucker wouldn't be there, but she had somewhat hoped she would find her other friend.

"What's that look on your face, Sam?"

"What? Oh, I just haven't seen Danny yet."

"Stop looking for him. He pushed you away; you shouldn't go near him again."

"But…"

Dirk looked up angrily and caught her eyes. "Don't go near him again," he growled.

_He's right. Danny will only hurt you again._

"You're right. I'm sorry," she mumbled.

When dinner was over, the dancing began. She and Dirk remained on their own, dancing only with each other. Whenever Dirk saw another boy begin to approach them, he warded them off with a menacing look. He wanted Sam for himself, and he wouldn't let anyone else near her. Sam didn't mind so much; she liked dancing with him. It would have been nice, however, if he let her choose who to dance with. But that was okay. Dirk was her boyfriend—he had the right to restrict her freedom.

_WAIT! _Screamed the smaller voice in her head. There was something wrong there. Sam shrugged, deciding she'd think about it later.

She gazed up into his eyes, once again mesmerized by his looks. They were almost too good to be true, and sometimes she felt inadequate next to him. That had never happened with Danny. He had made her heart flutter with simply a look, but she always felt like his equal. He made sure she knew she was beautiful. She thought back to the day they told each other about their love. He had kissed her like no one ever had before, and made her feel like she only did with him. Actually, right then, she could do with a kiss.

"Dirk?"

"Yes, Sam?"

"Am I beautiful?"

He smiled softly and lifted a palm to her cheek. "Yes, darling. You're beautiful." He leaned down and kissed her, but Sam only felt cold, not the heat she did with Danny. She sighed and rested her head on his chest.

"Thank you."

Time passed so quickly after that, Sam had trouble believing it. Before she knew what was happening, the nominees for Prom King and Queen were being called to the stage. She moved forward in a daze, and as she stood on the platform, she felt cheated.

_This was supposed to be a really special night,_ said the friendly voice in her head. _Instead it passed so quickly you barely realized it. It's not supposed to be like that. If Danny were with you, you would have had an amazing time._

Yes, Danny would have shown her a good time. But Dirk had, too.

_No, he showed you a domineering time. Wake up!_

"And the envelope, please," said a teacher in a sing-song voice. A large envelope was handed to her from off stage, and she made a production of opening it. "The crown for Prom King goes to Dash Baxter!" Applause erupted from the floor where the entire senior class of Casper High was standing. Sam looked out at the sea of faces and strangely felt tears come to her eyes. "And his Queen is…" Dramatic pause. "Samantha Manson!"

Sam's eyes widened, drying her tears. She gasped in surprise and stepped forward numbly to stand beside Dash. A tiara was placed on her head, a bouquet of flowers in her arms. There was a roar of appreciation from her classmates, but she barely heard it. She had won Prom Queen! But she hadn't campaigned at all… She looked back to find Paulina glaring daggers at her. Sam didn't care.

Her eyes swept back over the crowd and she spotted Danny for the first time that night. He was staring at her with a sad smile on his face, and his eyes lit when he caught her gaze. He waved, and she smiled in return.

_I miss him_, she thought right before she saw Dirk standing behind Danny.

No!

Random flashes of the past weeks rushed in on Sam as she stood there. Her study session with Dirk—which until then she had no recollection of—her kiss with him, the time she left Danny, the walks she and Dirk had shared, and every time there was someone in her head besides herself.

It had to be him. She was right; Dirk was a ghost. He must have found some way to control her thoughts. She saw a light fog come from Danny's mouth and his smile dropped. He rushed away, and Sam almost reached a hand out to him, but restrained herself. Dirk was watching.

Hard anger swept through her as she stared at him. He had deceived her, he had hurt her, and he had broken up her two best friendships. That would not go unpunished. But she couldn't risk his finding out that she knew, because he would use his powers to make her forget again. She had to play along with him. But it would be so hard…

_Danny, I love you,_ she thought hard, hoping he could somehow hear her. _I love you more than anything. I didn't mean to hurt you, but now that I have, I'm going to make it right.

* * *

_

A light mist floated from Danny's mouth and he almost groaned aloud. Why did his ghost sense have to go off when he was at prom? And Sam had smiled at him… he felt warmer than he had for a while, and he wondered if she missed him. She looked beautiful with that tiara on… he knew she would win…

But he had a ghost to catch… or the Box Ghost to yell at… either way, it was a lose-lose situation.

He rushed out the side door of the hall, and once outside, he transformed into Danny Phantom. He leapt into the air and began to hover, searching for what had caused his ghost sense to go off.

"My, my, it is nice to see you again, young Daniel."

Danny turned, his eyes wide. "Vlad!"

"Yes, of course it's me." Vlad Plasmius floated from the shadows, his hands clasped behind his back in a relaxed manner. "Who else? We haven't seen each other for a while, Daniel—"

"I would have liked to keep it that way!" Danny lifted his hands with ectoplasm balls in them, preparing to strike, but Vlad just rolled his eyes.

"Oh, please, do we really have to go through that when I can just do this?" He snapped his fingers, and a glowing green cage encased Danny. He tried to phase out of it, but couldn't.

"Not again!" Danny hated being trapped like this. With all the powers he had, there was nothing that could get him out, and it made him feel helpless.

"Yes, again. Now, let's be off. We have an appointment."

* * *

Sam smiled vacantly up at Dirk.

"Are you proud of me, Dirk?"

"Yes, I am." He seemed anxious, and that made Sam wonder what was going on. Had Danny's ghost sense been sign of deep trouble? "But Sam, it seems I have somewhere else I need to be."

"Oh, but I wanted to spend more time with you." Sam almost choked on the words, but she forced them out.

Dirk smiled. "You will. You're coming with me. Let's go."

She gasped in mock alarm. "But… I can't possibly go anywhere in this outfit! Please, can we stop at my house so I can change?"

She pouted so hard her lips hurt, but Dirk finally gave in. He sighed heavily and led her from the room.

The ride back to her house was fast and tense. Once there, she shot upstairs like a bullet and practically ripped off her dress and tiara. She slipped into some black leather pants, black boots, and a dark purple tank-top. She stared longingly at her sword, but knew that she couldn't possibly come up with an excuse for having it. And so, it was left behind when she ran back downstairs, hoping beyond hope that Danny was okay.

* * *

Emlyn sat up suddenly.

"Something's wrong," she said harshly enough that Tucker turned around in alarm.

"What?"

She waved impatiently. "I put a spell on Sam so that if she was ever in mortal danger, I would know. The spell has activated. Something's wrong."

As she spoke, Tuck's heart filled with an utter sense of fear for his friend. If Sam was in enough danger that it set off Emlyn's spell, then there was major trouble. And usually, major trouble meant Danny, too.

"Do you know what it is?"

"No, I can't know that. But we have to go to her…" Emlyn had been conjuring as she spoke, forming her own sword and strapping it to her waist. She also made a belt lined with tiny, round pockets. "Inside each pocket is a ball of magical energy. It will explode with a flash when it hits the ground; they're good for a diversion." She conjured a dagger and sheath and handed these to Tucker as well. "I know you're not trained with these, but I'm sure you can manage if need be."

Tucker's head was spinning. "But… Emlyn, this is happening too fast. I'm not ready, and we don't even know what's going on. Maybe it's not as bad as it seems. And Sam is strong; she can take care of herself. What if this isn't—"

"Tucker!" She reached forward and gripped his shoulders tightly. "You are ready, we don't need to know, it has to be as bad as it seems, and since it is, even Sam won't be able to handle it. We need to go. Now."

For a few moments Tucker said nothing, he simply stared at her blankly. He then shook himself, mentally and physically, and tied the sheath to his belt. "Fine. How do we know where to go?"


	16. The Confrontation

**Author's Note: Okay, this one took forever to write, and I don't really know why. There was something about it—I guess the action—that just bugged me forever. I know there's not a lot of detail in the fight scenes, but it just sounded cheesy before I edited. Enjoy.

* * *

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**Chapter 16- The Confrontation**

Sam held her head low and submissively as Dirk led her up winding steps. It irked her beyond reason to play nice with him, when all she really wanted to do was chop off that hand holding her arm too tightly. She let the hair in her face conceal her scowl.

They had driven quickly, but even so it had taken them almost two hours to reach their destination, a large mansion set deep in clusters of rolling hills and forest. It was secluded, ominous, and very, very creepy.

The staircase ended at a broad door with an iron lock. Dirk pulled a key from his pocket and slipped it in. As he turned the knob, she tapped his shoulder. "Where are we?" she asked sweetly for the tenth time.

He just smiled. "You'll see." The door opened and they stepped through.

Everything hit her at once. The room was freezing cold, something directly connected to ghosts. And there was Danny, bound with glowing chains to a stony wall. A few yards away from him stood Vlad Plasmius, appearing very pleased with himself. And when she turned to look at Dirk, he had changed. His face was contorted with disfigurement and malice. His clothes had changed; he now wore armor and a cape. Sam tried to hide her revulsion, and plastered a confused look on her face.

"Dirk? What's going on?"

"My name isn't Dirk, Sam. I am the Knight of Darkness, one of the most feared ghosts in the Ghost Zone."

She frowned. _I should get an Oscar for this…_ "But…I thought you said you weren't a ghost. Why did you lie to me? I though you loved me."

The Knight of Darkness laughed softly. "I had to lie. I couldn't let my secret be known. Do you forgive me, Samantha?"

She closed her eyes for a moment. _I have to do this without throwing up…_

She stepped forward.

* * *

Danny saw Sam walk through the door and nearly fainted in happiness.

She had come to help him, he knew it. She looked amazing, her eyes alert when she looked at him, not dazed as they had been lately. Her conversation with the ghost—who had caught Danny's attention rather quickly—confused him. This was Dirk? But how could that be? And then the Knight of Darkness asked Sam if she forgave him for lying. Of course she wouldn't, certainly not now.

But she stepped forward and pressed herself against him. "There's nothing to forgive," she said, and laid her lips on his.

Danny's heart broke all over again.

It couldn't be right. Vlad was laughing, the Knight of Darkness was clutching, and Sam was kissing. Danny slumped and watched, helpless, as Sam pulled away and smiled. So did the Knight of Darkness, but it was twisted by his scars. And then Vlad approached them, and Sam turned away slightly. He saw her glance at him and make a grotesque face, mimicking the ghost.

She was faking!

And she deserved an Oscar. God, he loved her.

His attention was drawn to Vlad and Dark as they approached him. Both wore smiles, sure of themselves. Sam was left on the other side of the room, looking like she had no idea what to do next.

"Danny Phantom," the Knight of Darkness said slowly, leaning close. "I worked hard to defeat you. _We've _worked hard," he corrected, glancing at Vlad.

"What have you done to Sam?" Danny asked angrily.

"Why, I put her under mind control. She's been that way for weeks. What, did you think she left you on her own?" Dark chuckled. "Right. Perhaps you're less intelligent than I was led to believe."

"Mind control?" His eyes swept to her again, and he mentally kicked himself for being so stupid. He should have known that Sam would never just leave him like that. He let her see the apology in his eyes then turned back. "I'll get you back for this. Both of you!"

Vlad opened his mouth happily, preparing to say something, when he was cut off by a distant roar. The roar grew until it was almost deafening, and suddenly Danny knew what it was. When wind whipped through the room and suddenly Emlyn and Tucker were there, he grinned.

"What is this!" Vlad roared. "How did you come here?"

Emlyn lifted a brow. "Magic." She drew her sword.

For a moment, everyone was silent. Then Dark and Vlad began to laugh. "Magic!" the latter cried. "Any magician ignorant enough to come here deserves whatever they get." And he lunged, streaking toward Emlyn at impossible speeds.

But she was ready, and lifted her sword to meet him. When he used an ectoplasmic shield to block it, the battle began. They engaged quickly and tirelessly, striking magical blow to ghostly, and for a few minutes all anyone in the room could do was watch. Tucker came to his senses the fastest, however, and silently made his way to the back of the room. There, he conjured Sam's sword—out of everyone's sight—and then moved toward her.

"Tucker," she whispered. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Take this," he said and handed her the sword. "Go. Fight."

She took the weapon and crept forward, trying to sneak up behind the Knight of Darkness. She was steps away when he spun suddenly.

"Foolish girl! You dare to attempt to kill me? Fight, then, like you want to!" He drew his own sword and brought it down over her. Sam countered and they locked positions, squaring off for eternal seconds before she spun and attacked.

Tucker watched as Sam's extraordinary training was put to work. Dark was almost twice her size, and definitely had the strength advantage, but Sam was quick and smart. She dodged his blows with seeming ease, at the same time reaching him with some of her own. Her whipped around her face as she bent and swung, narrowly avoiding a wide strike.

Knowing he needed to move on, Tuck used the others' distraction to get to Danny. He pulled out the dagger Emlyn had given him and began to pick the locks on his chains. Because the blade was magic, it seemed to be working.

"Hey," Tuck said conversationally. "How was prom?"

Across the room, Emlyn was laughing at Vlad.

"I came here to find the ghost king. I've been training for years. Do you really think your simply tricks can beat me?"

"You don't know what you're saying. You have never before fought with me, girl."

He threw an energy ball that Emlyn deflected with her sword.

"My name is Emlyn!"

She struck out and managed to hit Vlad on the arm, simply because of his shock.

"Emlyn?" he asked softly. "You're the daughter of that scientist!"

She paused in her attacks, but stood ready to begin again. "You knew my father?"

Now, Vlad laughed. "Of course I knew him! I _killed _him!" He laughed again and while Emlyn stood, stunned, he lifted above them all. "I am the ghost king!" he shouted dramatically. Below, the Knight of Darkness had risen above Sam to get an advantage on her, but he turned at the sound of Vlad's voice. "I am the ruler of all ghosts! I have the Ring of Fury, the Crown of Fire, and armor that can make me one-hundred times as powerful as I am now! I killed your father three years ago, when Pariah Dark came to rule again. He knew too much about our world, and was prepared to block the Ghost Zone completely from Earth. I could not let that happen, because I knew that soon I would be king of—"

"Oh, shut up." The Knight of Darkness reached out a hand and let loose a blast of green power that hit Plasmius square in the chest, knocking him to the floor. "You're not the ghost king, or that would not have hurt you. Besides, you cannot be the king… because I AM!" Dark pushed up his sleeve to reveal a large black tattoo of twisting circles and shapes that made Emlyn gasp. "I am the ghost king, and I am going to kill _you_, Danny Phantom!" He turned to where Danny stood, free.

"Nooooooo!"

The shout came from a blue blur that shot through the floor. It knocked Dark away when he was about to strike and made the shot go wild. Danny, Tucker, and Sam all ran to Emlyn, whose face had fallen. Above them, the Knight of Darkness was fighting.

"Curse you, you foul specter! You are nothing compared to me, so why did you bother coming here?"

"Because!" yelled the Box Ghost. "I vowed to protect the halfa's life, and I will not break my vow!" He turned to Danny. "Go! Go now!"

Danny hesitated, but Tucker didn't. He grabbed three balls from his belt and threw them at the ground, creating an explosion. The four huddled together and Emlyn began to transport them away. The last thing they saw was the Knight of Darkness sending his blade through the Box Ghost, and the Box Ghost screaming as he faded into nothing.

* * *

They were staying at a small house in the Spirit Realm. Emlyn had taken them to it, fell to the floor, and begun to cry.

Tucker was immediately by her side.

"Emlyn, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"Everything is lost!" she sobbed, burying her head in his shoulder. Danny and Sam stepped closer, trying to lend comfort. "The Knight can't be the ghost king; he just can't!"

Tucker was confused. He lifted her chin and their eyes met; hers grieving, his consoling. He kissed her softly. "Tell me what's going on, Em."

Slowly, she composed herself. She allowed Sam and Danny to come near so that they could hear her as well.

"Three years ago," she confided, "my father was killed. You knew that. What I didn't tell you specifically was that he was killed by a ghost, and after that I've been determined to find the ghost that killed him. That's why I've been searching so long for the ghost king…"

"But why are you upset that it's the Knight of Darkness?" Danny asked quietly.

She shook her head. "You don't understand. The ghost king isn't the one who killed my father—that was Vlad, I know now. The ghost king was supposed to be the one being who had power over all ghosts, and he was supposed to be noble and just. He was supposed to _help _me seek my revenge! If the Knight of Darkness is the ghost king, my purpose for living these past few years is shredded."

For a long while, no one said anything. The three teenagers were trying to take in this new information, but it was difficult. Finally, Sam asked a question. "What was that tattoo that the Knight of Darkness showed you?"

"It was the symbol," she explained tiredly. "It was the symbol that belonged to the ghost king, and the ghost king alone."


	17. What Everyone Wants

**Author's Note: FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL! I HEREBY DECREE YOU HEALED!

* * *

**

**Chapter 17- What Everyone Wants**

There was silence among the four friends. After Emlyn had calmed somewhat, Tucker took her to another room, and they hadn't been seen since. Sam and Danny were left in the main room of the house. The room was small and cozy, with a fireplace that burned green flames, and worn-in furniture placed haphazardly. The two friends had chosen seats close to the fire, gazing into its depths.

Finally, after what seemed forever, Sam spoke. "I don't know how to apologize for this one, Danny."

He took his time answering. "You don't need to. I understand you were under a spell, and you had no control over your feelings. When it counted, you overcame it."

"But I can't help feeling I could have done better. I could have seen what was happening; could have stopped it, before anyone got hurt."

A picture of the Box Ghost flashed into Danny's mind. "I still can't believe what he did…"

"I know," she sighed. "He told me he was looking out for you, but I never thought he would go to that extent."

"I guess you learn something new every day. I'm actually kind of sorry he won't be bothering me anymore. As annoying as the Box Ghost was, he added some humor to rough situations."

"Yeah… He was misunderstood."

Danny heard the unspoken ending to her statement. "So were you. I'm sorry I reacted so harshly to what happened between us, Sam."

Sam immediately shifted closer to him on the couch, reaching out her hand. "Don't say that. You didn't do anything wrong. It was just me. It's always me."

"Now _you _stop." His eyes met hers intensely. "Don't ever think you're the cause of my problems. You're the answer to so many of them." He lifted his hand to her cheek and stroked his thumb over her skin. "I still love you."

Sam's heart did a slow somersault as he said the words, and her arms reached out. They met halfway, wrapping each other in equally tender embraces. Their lips touched and suddenly everything was okay again; she let the tears of happiness fall between them. Danny smiled against her and leaned back, pulling her over him. They melded together perfectly, finding a rhythm much slower and sweeter than any time before. Danny's hands stroked her back as her fingers delved into his shaggy hair. Both found the comfort they craved. Neither could remember a time they hadn't wanted each other.

Slowly, Sam took Danny's hand and held it over her heart. "I live for you," she said quietly. He could feel the slow, rock-steady beat beneath his palms and his own heart swelled, filled with the love he had for this single person.

He took their joined hands and moved them to his chest. "You're my everything. You always were, and you always will be."

Sam was crying again, but there was no pain in her eyes. "I love you so much. You have to know that."

Her head fell to his shoulder and they held each other tightly, wishing they didn't ever have to let go. "I know," Danny whispered, smoothing down her hair. "I know."

* * *

"I'm so embarrassed."

Tucker smiled and leaned back against the wall of the bedroom. "Don't pull that. I know all of that was just a ploy to get me to touch you."

Emlyn laughed deeply, brushing the last of the tears from her eyes. "I have to admit," she said, "that you have a way with your hands."

"I what? You've got to be kidding me. All these years I've been blabbing my mouth to the ladies when I should have just touched them?"

She stood and moved forward, swinging her arms loosely at her sides. "The way you touch me?"

The look in her eye was making Tucker swallow thickly. His hands tensed. "If I did that I'd get smacked." She was close now, and he could feel the heat radiating from her; the heat of magic, the heat of emotion, and the heat of desire.

"Hmm," she murmured thoughtfully, yanking Tucker from the wall and pushing him toward the bed. "And why haven't I smacked you yet?"

She was towering over him as he leaned back on the mattress, but he managed to smile wanly. "Because I wouldn't hit back, and you believe in a fair fight?"

Emlyn laughed again and crawled forward onto the bed, pushing Tucker even farther back. "True. Want another reason?"

_Gulp. _"Ah, sure."

"I like it," she whispered, leaning down to his ear. "I like it when you touch me. I like it when you kiss me. While it's happening, I can't think, and when it stops, I want it again. I used to crave heat because I thought it gave me what I needed." She flipped to straddle him and bent to tug on his earlobe with her teeth. "Now I crave you."

Tucker couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. He could barely speak. "Emlyn, you… you're emotional—um, upset. I don't know if I—I should…" He paused as she licked his neck. "Take advantage of you," he finished lamely.

Emlyn rose up, pressing his shoulders into the comforter. "Get this straight," she said harshly. "When I come on to you, it's not because I need sympathy or comfort. It's because I want to come on to you. I've lived my entire life without this kind of thing, Tuck. Now I can't imagine living without it. That scares me, but I figure I'll be happier with it than not. Get it?"

"Got it."

"Good. Now kiss me or I'll do something incredibly naughty."

Tucker grinned. "Promise?"

* * *

Vlad glared up at the tall knight. "You can't do this to me!" he ranted.

The Knight of Darkness just smiled. "Obviously I can, otherwise you wouldn't be in this situation, would you?"

Plasmius glared rebelliously at the ghostly chains holding him. He had been too shocked to move when Dark revealed his tattoo, and then the others were gone and he was being swooped upon. Now he was being held captive, and wasn't at all happy about it.

"Why must you keep me here? I have to obey you anyway; you're the ghost king!"

"Ah, ah, ah, but you're not completely ghost. I've learned my lesson with that little chit, Samantha. You humans are sneakier than ghosts, and better at hiding your emotions. You, Vlad Masters, will be staying right where you are."

Vlad knew he had no choice. He slumped where he sat. "So," he asked half-heartedly. "What's your plan?"

"To kill Danny Phantom of course, along with Emlyn… and their little friends, if I can manage it and not go out of my way."

"How?"

Dark smiled. "Easily. They will come to me."

* * *

Sam and Danny stared in horror at the closed door.

As another feminine giggle erupted, both of them cringed in unison.

"How long have they been in there?" Danny asked quietly.

"An hour. But the noises have only been going for forty-five minutes."

"Only? _Only_! This is scaring me, Sam. I've faced all kinds of ghosts before, but this is really scaring me." Tucker moaned from the other room and Danny's expression contorted. "Oh, this is so wrong. Come on."

He grabbed Sam's hand and led her through a different doorway, leading to another bedroom. Sam went willingly. "We have to block this out. I'm in the process of forgetting it ever happened right now."

"Right." Danny spun and shut the door with his foot. "Now, to block out the noise."

He approached her quickly and grabbed her waist, tugging her close. Sam grinned as her hands locked on his upper arms and their mouths crushed together. This was what she'd been waiting for, subconsciously, for weeks. Now that she had it, her body was in heaven.

Danny was up there with her. He pushed her back onto the soft bed, murmuring all the while. "I love you, I love you," he repeated between kisses, trying to make up for lost time. Sam was receptive, allowing herself to be pressed backward right until her head hit the pillow. Then she spun, rolling them both over. "You," she gasped as his mouth courted hers, "are amazing."

Danny rolled them again, lifting onto his elbows. "So are you." He tugged on her lip with his teeth and their tongues danced. Sam's leg lifted and caught behind Danny's pinning him to her. He groaned and dove his hands into her hair, lifting her head to expose her neck. "You have beautiful skin," he complimented, and began to dive down to the fragrant flesh, but stopped short. Sam was startled and opened her eyes to stare at him, but Danny just gazed back. And then he grinned.

"What?" she asked warily.

"Hey Sam, will you marry me?"


	18. Trapped

**Author's Note: It took me forever and a half to figure out where to end this chapter, because there were so many places it could be done. I decided to end it at the worst cliffhanger, because I'm evil like that. This one goes out to Mama Agwe (aka ½ a Tucker, gate-keeper, and the Carole part of Carole-anne)

* * *

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**Chapter 18- Trapped**

"You WHAT?"

"I asked her to marry me, Tuck, and I think she'll say yes! I understand that she wants to think this over, I mean this is Sam we're talking about, and I'm sure she'll have reservations. We're only eighteen, we're still in high school, and I have a lot of ghostly baggage, but I love her more than anything, Tucker. Without her I couldn't go on, I know that now, so what else could I do? I _had _to ask!"

Tucker stared at his friend like he had suddenly transformed into Paulina. "You," he said after a long silence, "are nuts."

Danny grinned. "Probably."

"But what are you going to tell your parents? I don't think they're going to let you just up and get married. You have college to think about, not to mention the end of _this _year! Plus, you have nowhere to live. Sam has money; that is _if _her mom and dad go along with this, and… Oh, God, I'm the voice of reason." Tucker made a face. "When did that happen?"

"Maybe about the time noises _stopped _coming from that bedroom?"

Tucker blushed then. "We're we that loud?"

Remembering the night clearly, Danny shuddered. "Yes. What the hell were you doing in there?" At Tucker's raised eyebrows, he paused. "Wait, scratch that. I don't want to know."

"I didn't think so. I wasn't going to tell you, anyway. But I think I crossed a line, man. I was in love before, but now… I'm _in love_. I don't know how to say it."

Danny smiled at him. They had been friends forever, and Tucker seemed to always be the one that knew what was going on, in the big picture at least. Details he was awful at. Either way, it was interesting to see him so shaken up. "You're starting to sound like me, Tuck."

He chuckled. "Yeah. Scary, isn't it? So what do two male teenagers do when they're both in love with beautiful, headstrong women who can kick their butt with a sword _and _on the street?"

"Ah… beg for mercy?"

"That sounds about right."

* * *

"He WHAT?"

"He asked me to marry him!" Sam couldn't help but smile at Emlyn's reaction. It was the next day, and when Danny dragged Tucker off for some guy-talk, the women were left by themselves, and Emlyn had bothered Sam until she revealed what was going on. "I couldn't believe it when he said it. Just, out of nowhere!"

Emlyn's mouth was hanging open, her blue-green eyes wide. "What are you going to say?"

"Yes, of course! Just… not yet. I think I'll make him sweat a little. Besides, there are things to consider. School, jobs, family… I'm not about to get married before school ends." Sam paused, gazing into space. Married—it was a scary thought. She would be with Danny for the rest of her life. They would live together, spend huge amounts of time together, have… "Ah, Emlyn? How extensive is your experience with, um, the workings of, er…"

"Sam, are you asking me for sex advice?"

"Yes."

Emlyn burst out laughing.

* * *

"Maddie, it's fine. Everything will be fine." Mr. Foley put one hand on her shoulder and one on his wife's. "I'm sure they're all okay."

"Oh, this must have something to do with that awful son of yours!" cried Mrs. Manson. "I always knew he was trouble."

"I've got it!" Jack yelled as he pounded up the stairs from the basement. "I've got the Boooomerang! And I reprogrammed it to look for Danny!"

Maddie's face hardened. "We'll find them. With any luck, they're not hurt. After all, they've only been gone since prom. One day. One day…" she repeated.

* * *

"One week. One week!" Danny ranted. "One week we've been in this house, and she hasn't answered me. In fact, she's avoiding me! And there's no word about Knight of Darkness. Emlyn's on lookout every day for some sign of him but there's nothing. Nothing! I'm getting restless here, Tucker!"

"Yeah, I can see that."

Usually Tucker would have tuned Danny out by that point, but he was right. For an entire week the four of them had been cooped up in that small house, and it was driving everyone a little crazy. Sam was quieter than Tuck had ever seen her, Emlyn was—forgive the term—sex crazy, Danny was having mental breakdowns, and Tucker was trying to keep everyone under control… which was ironic in its own way. Emlyn had been going out on daily scouting missions and hadn't yet found any word on the Knight of Darkness or the "ghost king." And poor Danny had to deal with the extra weight of an unanswered proposal frying his nerves.

Obviously, things were tense.

"What am I going to do?" Danny wailed, pacing fitfully. "I can't stay here much longer. Not like this."

Tucker sighed. "I'm sure something will happen soon, Danny. Have some faith, man."

The half-ghost turned, glaring. "Oh, sure. You go ahead and be jolly, Tuck. After all, you're getting laid. Which, by the way, is morally undignified at our age."

He almost laughed. "Morally undignified? Big words, Danny. Have you finally graduated elementary school? Besides; Emlyn and I haven't done… that."

"But…" Danny was confused. "But… the noises! And you're so happy lately, and every night you shut yourselves in there together."

Tucker smirked. "It's not my fault you drew false conclusions. You don't have to get indignant just because I can make a girl hit the ceiling without having sex with her." And since Danny had nothing to say to that, Tucker got up and left. He walked slowly through the living room, thinking about what Danny had said. To be honest, Tucker wasn't ready to do… _that_… yet. He would much rather use his time with Emlyn forming a deeper relationship with her, but it seemed like every time he tried to really reach out, she pulled away.

Just as he was about to close the door to his bedroom, Sam emerged from the bathroom. She smiled. "Hey."

"Hi," he responded and walked toward her. Once they were closer, he lifted an eyebrow. "So, how much longer are you planning on driving Danny insane?"

She smiled. "Oh, not too much longer. I keep wanting to jump up and down and scream 'yes' at him, but it's so much fun to see him squirm."

"Wow. You're sadistic."

Sam bit her lip and held up two fingers about an inch apart. "Just a little."

They laughed together and sat down on one of the couches. "He's sitting in there freaking out," Tucker explained. "You know how Danny is; he always wants to be doing something. Being stuck here has been torture. And I'll bet our parents are freaking out by now."

"I know. I wish there was some way for us to contact them. But Emlyn says it's too dangerous for us to go out with the Knight of Darkness on the loose."

Tucker knew that was true. He and Emlyn had talked about it almost every night. They had no idea what the Knight of Darkness was up to, and they couldn't risk being taken by surprise. With the ghost king after them, there was no telling what damage could be done.

Emlyn was still having trouble believing the Knight of Darkness was the ghost king. She kept saying that he was supposed to be good; supposed to be kind, understanding, and forgiving. In fables, the ghost king was the one to keep relative peace between the human world and the Ghost Zone. He was the one to solve disputes among specters and perform ghostly marriage ceremonies.

And there was something else that she only mumbled… something about the ghost king needing something.

Tucker was just coming back from his thoughts when the door opened and Emlyn stepped through. She sighed and slipped off her outer armor, coming to stand beside them. "Nothing. Again."

Tuck smiled encouragingly at her, and she smiled back tiredly. Sam caught the exchange and cleared her throat. "I'll… ah… go hide from Danny. Talk to you guys later."

She slipped away and shut the door to the bathroom softly behind her. Tucker rolled his eyes and stood, walking with Emlyn back to their bedroom. "Doesn't she get tired of sitting in there?"

"There's a hidden door that leads down to a training room in the basement. She goes down there and practices with her sword."

Tucker closed the door and narrowed his eyes. "How did I not notice that?"

She shrugged and removed her weapons, laying them gently on an armchair. "I guess men don't pay as much attention to their surroundings."

"Mmm." As she turned around to unlace her vest, Tucker came up behind her. He looped his arms around her waist and slowly began undoing the ties that ran down her entire torso. "You may be right. Even now, my awareness of the surrounding area is dimming."

"Mine, too." She shook her shoulders and let the vest fall to the floor, revealing a sheer camisole underneath. She leaned back against him and lifted her hands to rest them on his shoulders. "You know, you're the only person that's ever caused me to forget where I am."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"It was one." Emlyn turned in his arms and lowered her lashes, sending him a sultry look. "You give me so much… I still can't touch you without getting burned."

That confused him. "What?"

"It was one of the many things that drew me to you. When we touch, I burn; inside and out."

It was a long time before Tucker said anything. Emlyn almost started to get nervous, but then he touched her cheek gently.

"Like this? Does it burn when I do this?"

Fire sprung from the place his fingers brushed and Emlyn closed her eyes. "Yes," she whispered.

"Open your eyes," he requested, and she obeyed. "How about this? Is there still heat here?" Tucker pressed his hand to the small of her back and urged her forward, pressing them together. Delicious warmth shot from her toes to her head and made it spin.

"Yes."

"Then why," he asked, "won't you let me do this?" He lifted her chin and stared deeply into her eyes. She was caught up in him and stared back. She figured, why not just this once? But then he lifted her hand and kissed the top of it lightly, and her heart began to melt. "Or that? Or maybe, just once, let me sit with you long enough to memorize every detail—"

Emlyn turned away, pulling from his embrace and wrapping her arms around herself. "Tucker, don't. Don't say it." She couldn't let them get closer. She couldn't allow herself to fall in love. And maybe she already had fallen in love, but she couldn't admit it. Not when she felt like everything she got close to died or was destroyed. Not when her dreams were shattered, and she realized that soon she would be leaving for Africa and never coming back. Not when they lay together late at night, peacefully resting, and she had dangerous dreams of a life with him. She couldn't dream. She shouldn't dream.

"Don't say what? Don't say that every time I try to really get close to you, you pull away? Why is that, Emlyn? Why is it that every time I do something that could possibly throw us further into this good thing we've created, you run like you're scared? You're not the type to be scared by love. There; I said it. Love. I _love _you. I think you love me, too, but you won't say it and I don't know why!"

He had walked to the wall and braced his hand on it, his forehead lowered to the cool wooden paneling. "Please," Emlyn pleaded. "Let's not talk about this. Tucker, I…"

"You what?" he inquired, and his voice was hard. "That's the second time you haven't finished your thought out loud, and I never saw you as the type to leave something unfinished. You say I give you so much, but you conveniently left out the part about what you give. You've given me your mind, your power, and your strength. You'd give me your body if I asked for it. But you haven't given me your heart." He paused, and then shoved away from the wall. Opening the door, he turned back to look at her. "And that's all I ever wanted."

The door closed, and Emlyn's broken heart slid with her down the wall and onto the floor.

* * *

Why hadn't she answered?

Danny paced in his bedroom, not sure whether he should go after her or not. He didn't want to pressure Sam into anything, but he was getting very tired of waiting.

_Forget her._

Danny shivered as the voice whispered in his head. What was that?

_Forget her and leave her to herself. She obviously doesn't love you, so why hold on?_

And she was halfway forgotten before Danny got a hold on himself. There was something wrong here. That wasn't his voice. It was… the Knight of Darkness! He was there, and Danny hadn't even known!

Suddenly, searing pain shot through his head and he cried out, dropping to the floor. Flashes of his fight the week earlier flashed through his mind, and each one seemed to make the pain worse. And then he saw Sam kissing Dirk, and it felt like his skull might split open. The pain traveled down and absorbed him, leaving nothing else.

Danny opened his mouth, prepared to scream in pain and unleash his ghostly wail, but it lodged in his throat. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move it. Slowly, the power began to kick back, and he was enveloped in his own attack.

Tucker heard the explosion a second before the wall broke, sending sharp pieces of wood flying everywhere.


	19. The Ghost King

**Author's Note: I know, you're all wondering what's happened to the Guinivere Sage that updated every single day and sometimes twice in 24 hours. Well, she started school. I've been swamped with school and band, almost to the point where I don't have time to edit. I've fallen way behind on my review responses, but I'll get to them, I promise. I'll remind you all that I only respond to reviews that are either very detailed (as in, they tell me something besides that you liked it. I love constructive criticism, what can I say? And predictions are nice. Very nice.) or have questions that I feel must be answered. I love you all, and you know it, and I'm trying to be a good updater. Forgive me if I'm failing.

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**Chapter 19- The Ghost King**

"Tucker!" Sam screamed and ran to his side. Emlyn was right behind her. Tucker lay on the debris-ridden floor, coughing as the dust settled around him. As he shifted, pain sprouted from his chest and his leg. Looking down, he saw a wide gash just above his stomach and a large piece of wood pinning his calf down. Then, he felt a hand on his shoulder and shifted, his vision to see Sam leaning concernedly over him.

He shook his head and tried to find his voice. "Danny," he croaked.

Emlyn rose in his line of sight. "He's right; Danny could be hurt. Go look for him, Sam. I'll take care of Tucker."

Sam paused for only a moment before taking off toward the destroyed bedroom. She vaulted over the mass of the rubble, narrowly missing one especially large board. Here, there was barely an inch that wasn't covered in dust and ash; Sam could barely see a thing. She picked her way through carefully.

"Danny!" she called loudly, pushing aside the remains of a dresser. "Danny, where are you?" There was so much damage! And the longer it took her to look, the more she feared that Danny wasn't there to be found. But then she caught sight of a black lock of hair springing from beneath a pile of wreckage. She rushed over and pushed away what she thought may have once been the bed to reveal Danny lying on the floor in a distinctly unnatural position. "Oh, God…" she whispered in prayer as she knelt beside him. "Oh, God, let him be alive. Please, Danny, be alive…" She leaned down and placed her ear against his chest, listening for a heartbeat. At first there was nothing, but then—there! There was a pulse, and she could feel his breath blowing softly against her face. A tear slipped from her eye as she sat back up and began checking him for injuries.

As instinct took over and adrenaline faded, Sam's nerves erupted. He was breathing; he would live. She could live. Without Danny she had nothing, and Sam understood that. Through the years they had been through practically everything, even near-death experiences like these. Every time she saw Danny fall from the sky, rings surrounding his body as his ghost form gave in to unconsciousness, her heart stopped, the world spun extra fast, and everything became distorted. And when, eventually, he came out okay… her relief was indescribable.

But what could have happened in this room? Danny would never act this harshly if the situation wasn't serious. As far as Sam knew, they were alone and always had been in the house. In fact… she hadn't been home in a very long time…

Sam had never seen her mother or father as real family. Her grandmother, yes, but never her parents. Tucker's family, Danny's family… those were who she considered relatives. They were closer to her than anyone else, and she had been missing them in the week spent in the Spirit Realm. She wondered how they would react to the news—a coming marriage. Sam gazed down at Danny, frowning at his multiple injuries.

His shoulder was dislocated, and his hips were twisted, which accounted for the strange look of his body. There were cuts all over him, but one especially large one on his arm was bleeding profusely. She ripped a long piece of fabric from the top of his shirt and tied it around the wound to apply pressure, at the same time relieving his neck from the twisted cloth. She was skimming her hands over his back, looking for more wounds, when her fingers brushed across something of strange texture. She ran over it again before her curiosity got the best of her and she bent to look.

There, in the center of his back a few inches below his shoulder blades, was a small scar. The lines of it twisted and curved, forming a knot of intricate threads. In the center was the picture of a tiny eye, almond-shaped and sultry.

Emlyn came up behind her. "Sam? How—how is he?"

Sam turned to look at her, astonished. With her eyes wide, she stammered, "He's the ghost king!"

* * *

Emlyn sat and stared at the unconscious boy.

She was having a hard time comprehending everything that had happened, and she wasn't used to being confused. Usually she understood everything, and it was all simple. What had changed?

She sighed, realizing the answer had been there all along. _She _had changed. She. Emlyn. The vengeful, stoic warrior had become a compassionate, open lover, and it was all because of a trio of ghost-fighters. Well, one specifically.

_Tucker…_ The word was her mantra for strength, for fire, for love. He was everything she needed and nothing she had ever wanted, but suddenly had. They hadn't spoken since their fight in the bedroom, and Emlyn wasn't sure she would know what to say. He told her he loved her.

What does a woman say to that? She laughed at herself, knowing what any sane woman would say. But apparently Emlyn _wasn't _sane, because even then old fears crept up on her. What if he left her? What if he hurt her? What if it simply didn't work out? What if she gave her heart to him like he asked and then he held it too tightly, squeezing the life right from it?

What if it had been Tucker instead of Danny buried under rock and rubble?

Immediately an intense feeling of terror rose up through her and her eyes watered. She doubled over, breathing deeply to calm the sudden surge of emotion.

What if she lost the only person besides her father that she ever truly loved?

* * *

The insides of his eyelids were gray. That meant there was light outside them, and somehow he knew that light would hurt his eyes, so he kept them closed. He was nice and cool, but he struggled to remember where he was. They had been in the house, and he was stressing because Sam hadn't answered his proposal. Then there was the…

The explosion!

Danny opened his eyes and jerked into a sitting position, making his head spin. He tried to get his bearings but before he could, soft hands touched his shoulders and gently pushed him back down. As his vision cleared, Sam came into focus.

"Sam!" He held her wrists tightly. "Sam, I thought I'd never see you again! I thought I was going to die."

For a split second, the memory of a similar fear shone in her eyes. "It's okay, Danny. You're alive, and that's what counts. What happened in there?"

Slowly, Danny's heartbeat returned to normal. "I'm not exactly sure," he explained. "I was thinking about you and I heard this voice in my head—I think it was the Knight of Darkness. I started freaking out, wondering how he could have found us, and then I tried to let out my ghostly wail, but it backfired. After that, everything is a blank."

Sam sighed and lowered her head as if in deep thought. Then she rose from her chair next to the bed in Emlyn and Tucker's room and moved to the door. She called the two friends into the room and sat down. All three of them were watching him like he suddenly might asexually reproduce, and it was making him very uncomfortable. He wondered what was making them act so strangely. Sam cast a nervous glance to Emlyn.

"Ah… Danny, we made a bit of a discovery while you were unconscious."

"And what would that be?" he asked, lifting his eyebrows. As the motion made his head pound, he lowered them again. On closer inspection of himself, he found that small bandages seemed to cover his entire body, though his right arm was especially pampered, with a sling and everything. As soon as he saw the wound, it began to hurt. Danny frowned angrily at it, but turned back to Sam when he heard her frustrated sigh.

"You're… you're… oh, I can't do this!"

She practically jumped from the chair and strode across the room. As Sam covered her eyes with her hand, Emlyn stepped forward.

"When we found you, Danny, there was a scar on your back."

Danny was confused, and it made his head hurt worse. "Obviously. I've had a lot of fights with ghosts. Scars happen."

"Not this one. At least, not in a regular ghost fight. Danny, it's the sign of the ghost king."

Silence fell for a long time. "What do you mean?" he asked finally.

"I mean," she said gently, "that the same sign we saw on the Knight of Darkness's arm is on your back. It's small, but it's there. And it can mean only one thing."

"I'm the ghost king? But that's not possible. The Knight of Darkness is."

"We thought so, too," murmured Tucker, who stepped forward and put a hand on Danny's shoulder. "But there is such a thing as tattoos. It could be that the Knight of Darkness is pretending to be the ghost king so we surrender."

"Not many people know the symbol, but he _has _been watching you. Or, at least, Vlad has, and they've apparently been working together. Dark must have recognized what that scar meant and decided he would take the situation into his own hands."

Hold up.

There was absolutely, positively, definitely no way Danny could be the ghost king. He was only eighteen! And wasn't the ghost king supposed to be really powerful? No way was Danny to the level of the Knight of Darkness—or even Vlad. And who knew how many other ghosts were out there that could beat him one-handed? And wouldn't the ghost king be a full ghost? He was only half, so that didn't work out right. He couldn't rule the ghost zone; they all hated him there. He couldn't…

"I know what you're thinking, Danny, and you're wrong." Sam turned around slowly, her expression composed and cool. "I've known you long enough to know how you think and I'll tell you now that you _can _be ghost king. It's true that some may be more powerful than you, but you've only had your powers a few years. It takes experience. And Emlyn said that the ghost king was supposed to be good, like you. The Knight of Darkness definitely isn't."

They all thought this over, and then Emlyn turned to Sam. "Did you accept Danny's proposal?"

Sam's shoulders slumped. "No, I haven't. I'm sorry, Danny, for leading you on like that. It seemed like a funny idea at the time, but now that I almost lost you…" She broke off and paused to hold back tears. "I love you so much," she said as she walked toward him. She took his hand and smiled. "Of course I'll marry you, but we should wait. We're still young."

"You have to get married now."

Sam's soothing eyes snapped to Emlyn's and became sharp. "Why?"

"Danny needs all his power in order to defeat the Knight of Darkness."

"I agree, but what does that have to do with Danny and I getting married?" When Emlyn paused, Sam frowned. "What is it?"

"You need to get married now."

"You said that. Emlyn, I told you my reasons for wanting to wait. Why are you being like this?"

A flicker of compassion rode over Emlyn's features but it disappeared instantly. "I know how you feel. But you need to trust me, if blindly. Danny will need to be married to you in order to fight."

Suddenly Tucker realized what was going on. "Oh, God…" he muttered.

Sam was angry by then. "This is ridiculous! Tell me what's going on! My fiancé was almost killed and we don't know how. We know why, and it's scary. Secrets aren't going to work here. Not here, not now."

"You'd better just tell her, Emlyn," Tucker advised.

There was a long, long silence. Emlyn was staring at Tucker like he was her lifeline, but he seemed coldly informative. Then she looked at Sam as if she didn't want to be run through with the sword the Goth was reaching for.

"Fine! Danny is, perhaps, the ghost king. It makes sense. But you need to marry him, and quickly. Because… the person that always fought with him at battle and gave him the spirit to win was…" She swallowed thickly. "His queen."

Sam's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You've got to be kidding me."

* * *

He shouldn't have helped.

He had known the plan was a mistake from the beginning, but his pact with Vlad kept him bound. In the world of ghosts, signatures were permanent. When Plasmius had finally explained what was going to happen, the Fight Knight had felt—had known—that things would go wrong.

He, too, had been watching the ghost boy. He had been watching the Knight of Darkness as well.

Since they were young, the Fright Knight and his brother had formed a fierce hatred for each other. Neither was very sure when it really happened, but somewhere along the line they became enemies. The Knight of Darkness was older and more powerful, but his overconfidence and self-assurance were weak points. The Fright Knight knew better; he knew he could be beaten, and so he strove harder until he couldn't be.

And for years he had been looking for a way to kill the Knight of Darkness without getting killed in the process. This seemed to be it.

Besides, the ghost king—Danny Phantom—was the one going against Dark. The Fright Knight must serve his master.

* * *

**Author's Note 2: Yes, déjà vu, isn't it? In The Ultimate Enemy, the Fright Knight works for Dan Phantom, so I figured it was fitting to change the story a little and throw him back in there. After all, we can never _really _change the future, just the circumstances. Tweak it a little… you know?**


	20. The Changes Begin

**Author's Note: Okay, I agreed with all of you that Chapter 19 was too short and didn't have enough emotion, so I went back and changed it. I added in a scene with Emlyn and more of the characters' thoughts. You can go back and read it again if you want, but it's not imperative. Anyway, this chapter ghost out to all those readers who hate it when Emlyn and Tucker fight, and who think Tucker should absolutely get some love.

* * *

**

**Chapter 20- The Changes Begin**

_Tucker…_

He rolled over on the thin couch, trying to get comfortable.

_Tucker…_

Was he dreaming? He knew that voice, but Emlyn wasn't supposed to be back until morning. She was out getting a place where they could stay. Leaving the Spirit Realm was even more dangerous than being in it, because here they had the magical advantage. With Danny hurt, the stakes were even higher. He was obviously dreaming. But any dream with Emlyn was a good dream, so…

"Tucker!"

"Huh?" He jumped, rolling over and off the couch.

"Tucker, it's me. I found a place where we can go. Normally I wouldn't wake you up, but I'm worried about Dark. He broke through my power last time, and I think it would be best if we put both of ours together, just for extra precaution."

Tuck groaned and sat up, trying to shake the sleep from his senses. "You found somewhere? I thought in the Spirit Realm you could just conjure something up."

She sighed. "It's not as easy as that. Here." Emlyn waved a glowing palm in front of his face and he was instantly alert. "Magical wake-up call. There are properties here, just like in the real world. It takes time finding a place where you can create what you need. I've found another space, and the house should be done by the time we get there. But we need to protect it with magic, and I need your help. Get it?"

"Got it."

"Good. Now get ready. We're leaving in five minutes."

Tucker frowned and grumbled but did as he was told. As he put on real clothes, he thought about being with Emlyn alone. They hadn't really spoken much since their fight before the explosion, other than to check on injuries and theorize about Danny. To go out with her and perform this magic… it was a big step.

Was he ready to face it? Could he actually admit that he loved her enough to be with her, even if she didn't love him back? Yes, he could. He already had.

So he walked silently to Emlyn in the dark, and she transported them away.

The house they appeared in front of was larger than the previous one. It rose two stories high, with Gothic style windows and a tall tower rising in the back. Tucker lifted his eyebrows.

"Isn't this a bit much?"

"No," she answered, walking toward the door. In the blue nothingness that the Spirit Realm was created of, it looked like she was stepping through an alternate kind of Ghost Zone. He followed silently.

Inside, the house seemed even larger than it did on the out. The first room was a spacious but cozy area decorated much like their living room at the other house. The fireplace was larger, and the furniture appeared to be much softer. Emlyn led him through the maze of rooms; an actual kitchen, a training room with various weapons on the walls, a small library that Emlyn said held every book to ever mention the ghost king. Upstairs were bedrooms, bathrooms, one small, enclosed space that looked very much like the Gray Room, and a winding staircase. It was this that Emlyn led him through, and Tucker assumed they were going to the tower.

He was correct. The door at the top of the stairs was tall and ornate, but the inside of the circular chamber was sparse. Basically just stone and wood, it reminded Tucker of something from medieval times.

"What are we doing up here?" he asked.

"This is where the magic must be performed; above the rest of the house so that the shield covers all of it. There was a tower at the other place too, just invisible."

"I see." He didn't. "So, what do we do?"

For a second she seemed uncomfortable. "Well, the incantation is to be said by only one person, so we'll have to share magic."

Share magic. They would have to hold each other inside that glowing shell like they'd done only once before. The prospect was both exhilarating and scary at the same time.

"Right. Okay. But can you form your magic first?"

"Why?"

"This is a learning experience. I've been on one side of the spell. Now I want to be on the other."

Emlyn sighed, but nodded. Silently their gazes came together and fused. Tucker saw Emlyn's skin become slightly pinker, her pupils dilate momentarily. The air around her softened and their surroundings became more indistinct. Tucker did as he had done the last time, drawing his magic out of him and letting it fill the air instead. That familiar heat coursed through his veins, giving him comfort and security. When Emlyn nodded, he stepped forward.

The resistance he found when he tried to touch her intrigued him, and he felt it for a moment. It was like a thin sheet was hanging from the ceiling in front of him, but when he angled his hand, it glided right through. He smiled into Emlyn's eyes, all the time slipping into her magic.

One hand found the back of her neck, the other her waist. He pulled them against each other, breathing deeply as their bodies melded together seamlessly. He felt the shell close behind him and blinked to show her it was done. She licked her lips and cleared her throat.

"Spirits of the Realm, shield this place. Make it disappear without a trace. Give protection, an optical reflection; mask its existence with empty space. Let the walls have no ears, the occupant no mouth. I call the elements from north and west, east and south. Of all harm let us be wary. Hear this charm; give sanctuary."

She fell silent and Tucker smiled. "Are we finished?"

Emlyn nodded. "Yes."

Tuck's lips met hers in a split second, and his arms wrapped a vice around her. Heat exploded within the covering of their power and Emlyn moaned, immediately getting lost in the sensation. Around them, the colors swirled at warp speeds and a breeze fluttered around them. Her hands found their way to his shoulders as he dipped her back and exposed her neck. Tucker's mouth blazed a trail over her ivory skin.

"Fall in love with me," he murmured. "I fell so long ago."

"I already have," she replied, letting the feelings in her heart escape for the first time. "I love you. Don't let me go."

Tucker groaned as her words washed over him. He lifted her up until her legs wrapped around his waist. His palms at her back pushed her fully against him. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Emlyn was reeling. She'd just told the only man that ever really mattered that she loved him, and he hadn't disappeared. He was still there, solid and strong and touching her. He was still forcing that familiar fire to slam through her and take her breath away. "I want you," she whispered.

"You have me. Now tell me what I have."

She tightened the grip of her legs around him and laid her forehead against his. "You have my mind, my power, and my strength. You'd have my body if you asked for it. But most of all, you have my heart."

His eyes closed and their mouths met. When Emlyn broke away to nibble on his ear, he sighed. "Thank God."

* * *

_Danny, where are you?_

Jazz sat on her bed hugging a pillow while her psychology text book lay, ignored, beside her. She frowned and bit her lip.

Danny had been gone for over a week, and even Jazz was getting worried. She knew that with his ghost powers, her little brother could probably take care of himself _and _his best friends, but something had to be terribly wrong for him not to come home at all. They hadn't gotten any word on their whereabouts, except…

There was a loud crack from beside her and Jazz jumped, automatically reaching under the bed for the Jack-o-nine-tails. She held it ready as the young woman appeared in front of her.

"Who are you?" Jazz asked the oddly dressed stranger. She had come the night before also, saying that she was watching over Danny and then disappearing again. This time, Jazz was ready for her. The woman glanced at the weapon only briefly before bowing her head.

"My name is Emlyn. I mean you no harm, Jazz."

Jazz wasn't fooled. "Then how do you know about Danny? What's going on?"

"Please, calm down. I'll explain everything."

Calm down? How could she calm down? Her brother was possibly in mortal danger and there was some other-world chick standing in her bedroom. But she knew how to deal with people, so she lowered the weapon and pretended to compose herself. "I'm sorry," she said trustingly. "Everything is kind of tense right now. Tell me what's happening with my brother."

Emlyn stepped forward and sat on the edge of the bed. "Danny, Tucker, and Sam are all in a different dimension called the Spirit Realm. It's very like the Ghost Zone that you know, only for magic. They were taken there by me after a fight with an evil ghost, the Knight of Darkness."

"Taken by you?" Jazz's hand tightened on the nine-tails.

"Let me rephrase that. They went with me. Tucker and Sam have known me previously, and all three of them trusted me to take them somewhere safe. I thought I had. However, the Knight of Darkness managed to break through my protective spells, and he attacked Danny. I've brought them somewhere else because there was an explosion…" Emlyn paused to take Jazz's hand when she gasped. "Everyone is fine. Danny's shoulder was dislocated, but he's healing now, and he wanted me to come here to let you know. He's been worried about you."

Trying to take everything in, Jazz sat next to Emlyn. "We've been worried here, too. I mean, I at least could conjecture what was going on. Mom, Dad, the other parents… they have no clue."

"I'm sure you'll do your best to reassure them without giving anything away. It seems we'll have to be away a bit longer. We've discovered that Danny is a very special man, even more special that you can believe. He's the ghost king… the person who can rule the Ghost Zone. I know it seems ludicrous, but it's true, and that means it is Danny who will have to kill the Knight of Darkness."

"Wait… I don't understand. If Danny is the ghost king, why can't he order some other ghosts to do it?"

"The Knight is very powerful, and revered throughout the Zone. Plus, he has been masquerading as the ghost king, and there is a chance that no one would dare cross him. It must be Danny, with the help of his friends." Here Emlyn paused, and seemed to consider something. Then she smiled. "I'll tell you this, because I think you'll kill Danny if you find out after all this is over. He and Sam are getting married."

"WHAT!"

* * *

Emlyn returned to find her three friends huddled together and waiting for her.

"Did you find her?" Danny asked anxiously. "What did you tell her?"

She smiled. "I found her, and I told her the truth."

"How much of the truth?"

Emlyn's eyes slipped to Tucker, who had asked the question. "Only what she needed to know. If I went into the whole story it would have taken me all day. She was very worried, Danny. She appreciated that you thought of her."

"How could he not?" Sam pondered. "I was concerned for them, too."

"Did she say what she was going to tell our parents?" Tucker asked.

"No. Simply that she would find the best way to convey your safety without revealing Danny's secret. Now, I want to take Sam to the training room and see how far she's come with her swordplay. Danny, you should rest. Tucker, if you could stay here a minute, I want to talk to you."

Everyone nodded, but Danny only grudgingly. In the two days they'd been staying at the new house, he'd been very frustrated with the cripple routine. Sleep, eat, no over-exertion… it was driving him insane. But no one would listen to his complaints about wanting to train for his fight against the Knight of Darkness; they all said he needed to get better first. So he stomped up to bed as Sam headed toward the training room.

Tucker remained. "What did you need?"

She smiled and stepped forward to wind her arms around his neck. "I wanted to tell you that I love you," she said. "And I have a question. Did you tell Sam or Danny about your magic?"

His eyes widened. "No! I didn't even think of it. First we were getting over the shock about Dark, and then we all got caught up in the engagement, and I was distracted by our fight… and then there was the explosion. In all the excitement, I never got around to telling them."

"Good. That means the Knight of Darkness doesn't know either. It will be a good secret weapon. That means late-night training for us, Tucker."

He grinned. "Late night, huh? Sounds good to me." He laughed as Emlyn smacked his arm and caught her lips in a quick kiss. "Go fight. I'll give you a massage later."

She sent him a sultry look and flounced—yes, flounced—away. He grinned as he watched her go.

Their relationship had certainly changed. The little things that had been missing before were present, like furtive glances just to look at each other, and long talks that got them lost in each other for hours. The heat was there; it always would be, he believed, but now there was also a constant solidity that made him feel like he'd never come down from Cloud 9. It seemed like Emlyn was the same, because suddenly she couldn't go two hours without telling him she loved him, or that she couldn't live without him, or that she had "plans" for that evening that ended up involving a tickle fight or a magically candle-lit dessert. It surprised and enchanted him, and almost every moment he was thrown head over heels by something she did or said.

And almost every day he found a picture stuck in his head; a picture of him and Emlyn standing together, smiling down at a small child held in their arms. Was it their future? Maybe. Did he want it? Hell, yes.


	21. Promises

**Author's Note: Okay, so here's the update. I know it's been more than a month since I updated, and I'm sincerely sorry. But relax. In order to avoid your wrath, I'm updating two chapters at once. So enjoy; the DxS is fluffy as all get-out. And the TxE in the next chapter aint bad either. We get to see Jazz again, and Maddie this time, too.

* * *

**

**Chapter 21- Promises**

Her blade cut a clean red line through Emlyn's skin. The teacher cried out and dropped her sword, instantly moving to heal the wound with magic. When finished, she lifted her eyes to Sam's.

"That was excellent. You've improved."

"I practiced. How did you heal yourself like that?" she asked interestedly.

Emlyn shrugged. "Magic can do many things. Healing, however, is limited. Only flesh wounds can be truly healed. But Sam… I believe you're ready to go against the Knight. With all of us together… we're unstoppable."

Sam grinned and stepped forward. "Listen, Emlyn, I know things have been really crazy lately." Such an understatement. "I just wanted you to know that I appreciate this; the training, the help… even now that you can't have your revenge, you're still here, helping us. You should know—I consider you one of us." She smiled. "And that doesn't come easily."

Emlyn's face was subtly shining. "It really means a lot to hear you say that."

The two women embraced and when Sam pulled away, she was grinning. "Now, are we done with training?"

"For now. We need to keep you in top form."

"Okay. I believe there's a healing man upstairs who needs my attention." She winked and Emlyn laughed in a way only a friend can.

Sam knew what room Danny was staying in, and she moved that way silently. Along the way she shed her weapon and training armor, laying it haphazardly in the hallway. She'd pick it up later. When she reached the right room, she saw that the door was slightly ajar. She pushed it open and stepped in.

Danny was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the wall. His hands were deftly forming energy balls and then quelling them, creating a slow rhythm. Sam came up behind him and slid her hands over his back and around to his waist. "How's your arm?" she asked quietly.

He turned and grinned, reaching for her. "Strong enough to hold you."

"I hoped so." They lay back together on the bed and Danny held Sam close. He pressed a kiss to her temple.

"I love you so much."

"I love you, too." Her fingers reached out to link with his. "Just think… we're getting married."

"It's basically what's been on my mind lately. Part of me is scared, but part of me can't wait. I can't wait to look at you and know we'll be together forever—that we belong to each other. And then I can touch you." As he spoke, his hand smoothed down her side and over her hip.

"But you touch me now."

"No…" His palm slid around to her abdomen and stroked her softly. "Not like I want to."

Before she could respond, he silenced her with a kiss. His lips were firm and steady on hers, and Sam forgot where she was. Her arms wrapped around to his back and she pulled him over her, his knees falling around her thighs. Danny kissed Sam harder, holding her face between his hands and loving her with his mouth. There was a desperate need inside of him, and he was almost overcome by the power of it.

He moved to nuzzle her neck and closed his eyes against the smooth skin. "How the hell are you so damn beautiful?"

She laughed joyously. "Thank my ancestors. It's their genes."

"No, I think it's more. You have such an atmosphere to you, Sam. I can't stop looking at you, can't stop reaching for you. You're magical."

"I never really know what to say when you tell me those things. I guess all I can say is… you're not so bad yourself, Phantom."

Danny chuckled and warm air washed over her. "That's the best compliment you could give me."

"Oh, and agreeing to marry you was small-talk? Well, I'm tired of talk in general." She turned her head until her lips were near his ear and moaned, letting the husky tambour of her voice shake them both. "I say we both just shut up," she whispered.

Danny didn't answer; simply began kissing his way over her skin.

* * *

"Mom? Mom, are you here?"

Jazz made her way softly through the dark hallway, edging toward the muted sounds in the bathroom. There was a sudden movement inside, and the crack between the door and the wall closed abruptly.

"What do you need, sweetie?" Maddie's voice was strained; Jazz could tell even through the door. She leaned her forehead against the cool wood.

"Mom, please let me in." No answer came to her. "Mother," she implored coaxingly. After an extended silence, there came a reply.

"The door is open."

Jazz turned the handle slowly and entered the small bathroom. The window was open, exchanging cool air for the lingering steam. A breeze brushed over Jazz's neck and she shivered. Her mother was sitting tall on the closed toilet seat, and though nothing could hide the tracks over her cheeks, she tried desperately to keep the tears confined in her eyes. Jazz sighed and knelt before her, taking her hands.

"Please stop crying, Mom."

"Oh, I know I should. It just worries me so much. Danny's been having such a hard time lately, and now he's gone. You know they say that after so much time, the trail of a missing person case goes cold." Maddie paused, dejected. "We're far past that now. All three of them are gone, Jasmine. Danny, Tucker, and Sam. They were all my children, in a sense, and now they're all gone. I—I may never see them again."

The tears won; they spilled over and dropped onto their clutched hands. Jazz bit her lip. "I'm sure that somewhere, they're okay. I know that Danny can take care of himself, and Sam is capable too. Tucker… well, he's got his friends with him, wherever he is. Danny's going to come back, Mom. He has to."

A choked sob escaped the scientist's throat. "He's my little boy! How am I supposed to go on never knowing what happened? Thank God I still have you and Jack… without you I don't know what I'd do."

"You'd survive, because you're stronger than anyone knows. Of all the people I know, you believe most in the paranormal, so this should mean something to you. I _know _Danny is okay. Wherever he is, whoever he's with, he's alright, and he's going to come home. I know it in my heart and soul, and that's where it counts, right Mom? We can't give up hope."

They sat together for a long while, and Jazz laid her head in Maddie's lap. As the mother stroked the daughter's hair, Jazz watched the warm steam drift from the room. Where was Danny, she wondered, and what was he doing? Why hadn't he come home to ease their worries? That woman had come to help, but she simply raised more questions. And Danny—marrying Sam? It was almost unfathomable.

Maddie trembled and Jazz frowned. Something had to change soon, or the family would fall apart. She simply hoped Danny knew what he was doing, and that her mother would make it through.

"Alright Jazz, you're right. I'm sure that Danny can take care of himself. He's somewhere out there, and he's safe. He'll come back, and everything will be good again. Thank you, darling. Thank you."

She could hear the change, the sudden calm that came over her mother when there was work to be done. She smiled.

Maybe things would be okay after all.

* * *

"Where are they!" screamed the Fright Knight, clutching his fists in frustration. The Spirit Realm's inkiness stretched around him, but nothing could be seen rising from the dark. Especially not a house. Especially not the people he was looking for.

How was he supposed to betray his brother if the ghost king was nowhere to be found!

"Well, hello, Frighty."

"I told you not to—" He broke off the natural response and instead spun around. "Dark!"

"Of course it's me, little brother. Who else? I assume you felt my power and came looking for me." Dark stepped forward confidently, grinning in an almost insane kind of way.

"Your…" _He doesn't know that Danny Phantom is the ghost king. He thinks his charade is still intact!_ "Of course, highness. I am here to serve, however grudgingly."

The Knight of Darkness laughed loudly. "Excellent! Follow me, minion!"

It was difficult for the Fright Knight to keep a straight face when inside, he was chuckling. This was going to be so much fun.


	22. It Begins

**Author's Note: Okay, here's the second one. Yeah, there's a semi-cliffhanger at the end, only because Mama Agwe wanted one. Enjoy.

* * *

**

**Chapter 22- It Begins**

_... Even now that you can't have your revenge, you're still here, helping us._

But she could have her revenge. Danny was the ghost king, not the Knight of Darkness as they had thought. But now that the satisfaction she'd been chasing for years was at her fingertips, did she really want it? Did she need it like she had thought for so long?

Warm hands gripped her hips and pulled her against a firm chest. "Tucker," she greeted him as his lips found her shoulder.

"Tucker? Who's Tucker?" the boy laughed, spinning her around and asking her with his eyes to play this game. "I'm a knight from distant lands, come to sweep you off your feet."

Emlyn grinned and put the back of her hand to her forehead. "Ah, me, but what am I to do? My heart belongs to another."

In the next moment she was in his arms and he was walking across the room. He smiled charmingly. "You will be mine, fair Emlyn, if I must fight a thousand men to have you. My plans for our future are extravagant beyond your wildest dreams."

He laid her down on the chaise in their bedroom and she draped herself across it alluringly. With one heated look he was leaning over her, and their breath mingled. Emlyn spoke softly. "Just what plans are those, o noble knight?"

Tucker's lips brushed against hers as he answered. "A castle, rising into the heavens and glittering like your eyes. Horses and servants at your disposal, anything your heart desires. Magical vacations and explorations that will bring our family closer together…"

"Our family?" And now her breath caught in her throat. Was he saying these things only as part of the game, or did he really want a family with her? Images flashed through Emlyn's mind of what their life would be like. Tiny children running through their home, Tucker a proud father. And to break the monotony of home life that Emlyn could never settle for, adventures through the Spirit Realm and the Ghost Zone. Stories to tell the generations to come. When the kids were old enough, Emlyn would tell them of how their parents fought beside the legendary ghost king…

"Family," Tucker responded. "With you, Emlyn. That's what I want for us, all games aside." His fingers slipped up and grazed over her stomach, making her shiver. His eyes were large and searching, trying to read the reaction in hers. "Would you do that? Marry me, carry our children. I want to spend my life with you, for better or worse."

Tears came to her eyes, but she resolutely blinked them away. Her arms rose to circle her man's neck, and her smile was shining as she said, "Yes. Until my dying day I want to be by your side. Stay with me forever."

He kissed her, and the outside world slipped away. He held her face in his hands and she pulled him close, wanting to join their bodies like their hearts already were. He smiled against her lips. "I love you."

Her answer was not in words, but in the emotion with which she gazed up at him. Her legs bent to cradle him, and he braced himself over her. With a wave of his hand, he locked the door.

* * *

"Oh, not you again." 

The Fright Knight cringed as he saw Vlad Plasmius chained to the wall in Dark's dungeon. He turned to address his brother. "Why didn't you kill him?"

"Because I need him," the Knight of Darkness answered. "How else would I lure Danny Phantom to me?"

"Danny Phantom would not come to save _him_. They are enemies!"

Dark smiled as he moved to a wall full of knives, maces, and whips. He held his chin as if deliberating over a choice. "That's true, Fright, but you're forgetting the weak link in the Fenton family. Jack. He is friends with this slime, and would surely rush off to save him. And how could young Danny refuse to rescue his own father? If that is not enough bait, I'll simply wait until the mother comes to save the idiot father. Sooner or later, I'll have enough of his loved ones to lure him."

Fright Knight eyed him uneasily. "That is a very good plan," he said simply. It was, but Dark did not know that Danny was the ghost king. Surely his power would overcome the Knight of Darkness easily.

"I know. But Phantom was stronger than I imagined, and he had his friends to help him. I tell you, nothing will get in my way this time. I have my ways of stopping him."

Fright's worry escalated. "What are those?"

Dark laughed. "I would be a fool to tell you, a ghost who has hated me for years. No, those plots I will keep to myself." He paused and brought down from the wall a dagger with a deeply serrated edge. "I'll need you to create a video portal. This has to be convincing."

* * *

Bright light swelled in the Fenton's kitchen, and the three family members squinted in its brilliance. Soon, however, the light subsided and they were left staring at a swirling green mass, the center of which was fuzzy like a disrupted television screen. In moment, the fuzz disappeared and they could see a dark, stony room. 

The Fright Knight walked into focus. "Listen closely, for I have a message for Jack Fenton." Jack sat up straighter, his eyes narrowed. "I have in my possession two people whom I believe you would want safe." The 'camera' panned sideways until it showed a bloody and beaten Vlad Masters, his white hair discolored by drying blood. Deep scratches could be seen running over his face and bare arms. Maddie cried out in alarm and Jack growled menacingly before Fright Knight's voice sounded from off screen. "But that isn't all." The camera panned again, and soon the family could see Danny, his blue eyes wide with fear.

"Dad!" he yelled. "Help me! Help!" His voice was cut off when Fright smacked him, hard. He reeled and hit the wall.

"Danny, no!" Maddie screamed, jumping from her seat. Fright looked at them through the portal.

"Come and get them soon, or all you'll find is bones."

The portal disappeared, but Jack was already out of the room, Maddie close behind him. Jazz, paralyzed in her seat, knew what she had to do. She ran from the room, catching her parents in the lab as they packed weapon upon weapon into their jumpsuits.

"Mom! Dad! Stop! This has to be a trap."

"We can't know that, sweetie, and we can't risk not going."

"But I'm telling you, this isn't right. Why would that ghost tell us he has them, unless he wanted you there for a reason?"

Jack didn't even look up. "He obviously wants to capture me, the greatest ghost hunter of all time, so that I won't be a threat to their kind. But Danny and Vlad are worth more than my life. I have to go."

He ran up the stairs, and Maddie moved to follow him again, but Jazz grabbed her arm and refused to let go. "Mom, please. You need to listen to me!"

Maddie looked at her daughter as if she were crazy. "Jazz, Danny needs us."

Too frustrated and flustered to know what she was saying, she screamed, "That wasn't Danny!"

* * *

Knight of Darkness chuckled, changing back to his normal form. Fright Knight moved up to him. "I think they bought it." 

"Of course they bought it! How could they resist?" Dark smiled, and this time when he spoke, his voice was like Danny's. "Daddy! Please, help me!"

Their laughter echoed through the cavernous dungeon.

* * *

_Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!_

Sam's mind was running a mile a minute as she stared at Danny. Somehow Emlyn had put this whole wedding together in a very short time. There was a priest… a dead one, of course, but still a priest, and Danny was wearing a suit, as was Tucker. Emlyn and Sam were wearing dresses, though the styles were vastly different.

Because, of course, Sam was the one getting married.

She moved forward through the dining hall of the house, soft, magical music playing in the background. Then she was there, and Danny was taking her hands, and the priest was talking. As he spoke, Sam gazed up into Danny's eyes. The ice blue orbs shined down on her and warmed her. _I love him so much_, she thought and tightened her fingers around his. This was the man she would spend the rest of her life with. And then she realized—that night would be her wedding night.

Oh, crap.

She barely heard what the priest said, but apparently she had responded correctly. Then it was time, as Danny and Sam had decided, to do their own vows. Sam curbed her emotions, forcing herself to pay attention to what Danny was saying and stop freaking out.

"Sam, my love, you've been by my side from the very beginning. It was you who gave me these powers which have changed my life. Because of you, I have a reason to be. Because of you, I have a purpose in life. Because of you, I can fly. And now, as we stand here, I know that no matter what happens I'll always be flying when you're with me. When I hold you, I feel like I'm in the heavens. You're my everything, and with these vows I give myself to you."

Tears were sparkling in her eyes, but she willed them not to overflow. "Danny, my love, every moment of every day I want to be with you. Every word you say, every move you make, every expression of your face makes me love you more. We've been through rough times, and we'll be through more, and I know that when I need it, you'll support me, like you always have. When we are apart, my heart longs for you, and when we are together, my body rejoices in you. You're my everything, and with these vows I give myself to you."

Then there was a ring on her finger, and she was slipping an identical one on Danny's. The slim gold band glinted in the light, and it was all Sam could do not to cry. For a moment, a tiny inscription glowed. "Together forever, through life, death, and beyond." Emlyn must have spelled them. And then Sam heard those fated words: "You may kiss the bride."

His mouth found hers, warm and inviting. The physical bond solidified their emotional one, and Sam wrapped her arms around Danny's neck. They were crushed together, happiness surrounding them. Faintly she heard Tucker and Emlyn laughing and clapping, and she pulled slowly away. Danny was grinning, and he leaned his forehead against hers. "We did it," he whispered.

"Sorry to interrupt this happy occasion, but I believe you'll want to speak with me." Everyone in the room spun around to see the Fright Knight stalking toward them. "After all, I'm going to help you beat the Knight of Darkness."


	23. We Have A Problem

**Author's Note: Okay, here's the next chapter, and you didn't have to wait two months for it. Things are really starting to look down for our "happy" couple and their posse, and trust me, everything gets worse before it gets better. I'm gearing up for the big fight, but don't worry—there will be fluff before that. After all, we still haven't reached Danny and Sam's wedding night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 23- We Have A Problem**

For a moment, complete silence filled the room. Then Emlyn turned to the priest and whispered something in his ear. Together, they disappeared. Danny stepped forward warily.

"You're going to help us? Why should we believe that?"

"You shouldn't," the Fright Knight replied. "But you're going to."

Tucker's eyes widened. "I'm confused," he said, and with lifted eyebrows Sam looked at him.

"You're not the only one."

Fright Knight glanced at them and then his eyes returned to Danny's. "Perhaps we should discuss this alone."

"No way!" Sam and Tucker shouted at once. "That's way too dangerous," Sam continued.

"Not for the ghost king, it isn't," replied Fright. The mayhem of voices that ensued was too much.

"Alright!" Danny shouted. "Maybe talking alone is best. Don't worry about me, guys. I can handle myself." He turned to Fright. "Follow me."

Danny led him upstairs and into his room. There were way too many things going on inside Danny's head. He had just gotten married, and now was thrust into some kind of peace conference with one of his worst enemies. Not only that, but he had the future to look at. He had to fight the Knight of Darkness, explain to his parents why he got married without them there, finish high school… And that night would be his wedding night.

Oh, crap.

Danny closed the door and when he turned around, the Fright Knight was sitting on his bed. "I'm sure you have questions for me."

"How did you get here?"

"I have my ways," the ghost replied, but when Danny just stared at him expectantly, he sighed. "When that girl brought the priest in, I followed them."

"And how do you know I'm the ghost king?"

"Every ghost has heard the call of the ghost king, a silent urge to serve that only comes when the king realizes his fate. Word in the Zone is that my brother, the Knight of Darkness, is the king, but I know that isn't true. If Dark was king, he would have been dictating long before now."

"Wait… the Knight of Darkness is your brother?"

Fright nodded. "Older by a few years. He was always Mom's favorite, and it made his ego grow larger than his muscles. If he were truly the king, no ghost would be safe, and we would have felt the call long ago. So I thought about it, and I looked into your past, and I realized that the ghost king could only be you."

There was a call? That meant every ghost in the Ghost Zone would be looking for a king, and most would be flocking to the Knight of Darkness's side. Perfect.

"Okay," Danny said as he brought a hand to his forehead. He could feel a headache waiting to happen. "So, why do you want to help me?"

Fright stared at him as if he had sprouted another head. "You're the ghost king! I _have _to help you. And besides, I hate my brother with a passion. Anyone against him is with me… at least temporarily."

"Right. I guess we should have you infiltrate Dark's hideout…"

"I've already done that. He thinks I'm serving him because he's the ghost king. He thinks everyone is fooled. He just sent a message to your family that he had you and Vlad Masters captured, and they should be on their way to 'rescue' you right now. He's going to use your loved ones to get to you."

The headache had arrived.

* * *

"What do you mean, that wasn't Danny?"

"I mean—ah—Danny would never ask… What I'm trying to say is… oh, crud."

Jazz had a headache. Her mother had stopped struggling, but her father was long gone, off to be captured by some villain after Danny… and she would have to break her promise by telling their mother about his powers.

Scratch the headache. She had a migraine.

"Jazz, it's time you explained yourself. Danny is in danger and without me there, so is your father."

"It's not quite as easy as that. You see, I know that isn't Danny because if it was, he'd be fighting instead of sitting there waiting to be rescued."

"But Danny couldn't possibly hope to defeat that ghost. He's only human!"

Oh, boy. Jazz took a deep breath. "No, he's not only human. Three years ago, during the lab accident, Danny was infused with ghost powers. Since then, he's been using them to protect Amity Park from all the ghosts that have been attacking it including Penelope Spectra, Pariah Dark, his evil future self, and dad's friend from college, Vlad Masters—aka, Vlad Plasmius." With a whoosh she let out what little breath she had left and gulped in a new wave of air. She then held it, waiting for her mother's reaction to the fast ranting.

Maddie stared at her daughter for a full ten seconds. Then she reached back, grabbed an ecto-gun, and tossed it to Jazz. "All I caught out of that was 'not only human,' 'ghost powers,' and 'protect Amity Park.' That's enough for me. Come on, we have to save your father before your brother tries to."

Together, mother and daughter ran up the steps.

* * *

With a pop, Emlyn returned to find Sam and Tucker sitting at the dining room table.

"Where's Danny?"

"With the Fright Knight," Tucker mumbled, his chin propped up by his hand. "They've been gone for a while."

"What if—"

"No, they're still there. I checked a few minutes ago and I heard talking from behind Danny's door. Both of them were completely calm. Danny's fine."

Emlyn frowned. "Oh. Well, then I guess all there is left to do is…"

"Wait," all three said at once.

Emlyn sat down beside her two friends and crossed her legs. Tucker reached out and took her hand absentmindedly, running his thumb over her palm. Her mind wandered, drifting over the memories she now held so close to her.

It was only weeks ago that she had descended through the Fentons' ceiling, dropping into their lives and changing them irrevocably. It was only weeks ago that she taught her first student, watched Sam wield a sword for the first time. It was only weeks ago that she fell in love—but it felt like a lifetime. A long, happy lifetime.

But was she to blame for what was happening now? She had pulled Sam and Tucker away from Danny, thinking he was some inconsequential human, not worth her time or energy. She had torn Sam from him, leaving her susceptible to the Knight of Darkness's spell. And Danny, too, had been weakened by the loss. He was distracted, and got captured, and because of the Box Ghost was… gone.

Was Emlyn the true villain here?

Tucker squeezed her hand. "Don't think you're to blame for any of this. If you hadn't come along, we'd still be in trouble; we'd just be much more defenseless."

"How did you know what I was thinking?" she asked.

"When you're close enough to someone, that tends to happen. Sam and Danny do it all the time."

Sam and Danny—the perfect couple? No, all couples had their problems. But for Danny and Sam, everything always seemed to work out. Emlyn could remember them the first time she saw them, standing together. They had looked so comfortable with each other, like they knew they'd be together forever. Like they knew they'd be happy until the end of time.

Not at all like she had felt with Tucker—at least at first. She'd been so unsure about everything; the heat, the emotions, the connections and commitments. Everything was so foreign, but that had changed. When she thought of coming home, she no longer thought of Africa. She thought of Tucker.

Leaning over, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I love you," she whispered quietly to him.

"I love you too, my warrior princess."

She chuckled, and just then, the doors to the room opened and Danny stepped in, followed quickly by Fright Knight. Danny walked forward and braced his palms on the surface of the table, his expression grave.

"We have a problem."

Soft, feminine laughter come from behind him, and everyone shifted their focus to the far side of the room. Ember and Skulker stood there. Skulker had one arm wrapped around the blue-haired woman, but the other held a large gun at the group. Ember had her guitar ready, the dial set on a picture of a large fist. She laughed again.

"Actually, you have more of a problem than you thought."

* * *

**Note: If you haven't yet, please read the additions in my profile, especially the one on SagePoints. Because, here's the second SagePoint question, and it's a tough one! (The first being in "Infatuated")**

**_SagePoint: Throughout Tucker and Emlyn's relationship, there's a reoccurring scene that happens between them. The first time it was in a good sense, the second time a bad one. A little extra clue: It's what everyone wants when the changes begin… fluff!_**


	24. The Night

**Author's Note: To anyone who hasn't read "Life Imitates Music," I apologize again for being gone so long. As I said in that author's note, I do have my reasons, but will refrain from sharing. For now, just be happy that I didn't forget about Knight of Darkness… or the wedding night…

* * *

**

**Chapter 24- The Night**

The power chord reverberated through the room, and everyone was thrown backward into a wall. "You rule, honey," Skulker said and Ember rolled her eyes. Danny was up in an instant, but had to clutch his side. The blow re-injured it. He transformed quickly and assessed the situation.

Fight Knight was already up and ready to fight, apparently, as he had drawn his sword. Sam, too, was by his side, with Emlyn's sword in her hand. Danny glanced back to find his other two friends. Tucker had managed to crash into a pillar the wrong way, and lay crumpled on the ground. Emlyn was kneeling beside him, her hands glowing and swiping over his body rapidly. She glanced at him. "Fight," she ordered. "I'll take care of him."

Danny nodded and rushed forward.

He encountered Skulker first, whose forearm had sprouted a very large gun. It charged and fired, and the bright blast of light that followed almost blinded them all. Danny managed to fly up and out of the way in time, but just barely. He gazed down at the destroyed dinner table, and then at Skulker.

"Now where are we supposed to eat? This is my wedding day, you know."

"Good for you," Skulker muttered before firing another blast.

As Danny flew away and Skulker went after him, Sam and Fright Knight were dealing with Ember. Sam had managed to land a few blows, but still hadn't done much damage. Fright Knight, on the other hand…

"Ow! Damn it, Fright, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry, Ember, but this is something I must do."

His sword came down and slashed along her shoulder, cutting off her guitar strap even as it created a large gash on her pale skin. The guitar fell to the ground, and Sam lifted Emlyn's sword high. One strong jab and the thing was in pieces.

"No!" Ember kicked out and managed to knock Sam back, but was immediately caught from behind by Fright Knight. He held her hands clamped behind her back, spreading open her shoulder wound so that she screamed in pain. Sam's stomach convulsed at the grating sound. It was then that Skulker and Danny came careening back into the room. Danny's suit was ripped in several places, but Skulker had dents and scorch marks all over his armor.

"Come back, you little whelp! Just because you're married doesn't make you any stronger!"

"Oh, doesn't it?"

The new voice startled Skulker, and he turned to stare at Emlyn. Tucker was sitting along the wall, watching her as everyone else was.

"Who are you?" Skulker asked.

She ignored him. "You've got your queen now, Danny. Remember what the mythology said? Go on; rule like you're a king."

Danny stared at her for an extended moment. He then closed his eyes, and a glowing aura surrounded him. Danny lifted high into the rafters of the hall, and everyone's gaze followed him. Slowly but surely, his cuts closed and his suit repaired itself. He straightened, his side healed once more. Skulker could only stare in amazement as a heavy, old-fashioned, silver cape appeared out of nowhere, and draped itself over Danny's shoulders. He opened his eyes.

"Bow," he ordered Skulker.

The ghost, seeing that the bizarre ritual was over, simply laughed. "To you? Never. That was a fancy trick, boy. You must perform it for me when I have you trapped in a cage!" Skulker pressed a button and a large machete rose out of his armor. He was about to attack when Danny spoke.

"I said… bow!" His voice echoed, and he held a hand toward the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter. A shining light extended from his palm and encased Skulker. He tried to fight it, but was slowly lowering to the ground anyway.

"I… I can't move!" Skulker yelled as his feet touched the floor. There was a moment's struggle where everyone could see the strain in Skulker's face as he attempted to overcome Danny's power, but he failed, and fell to the floor with a loud crash. His arms were extended, and his body was folded in a low, kneeling bow.

Another light appeared and engulfed Skulker. He was sucked away, and everyone turned to find Tucker holding a Fenton Thermos. Danny smiled, and Tucker gave him a thumbs-up.

Danny slowly floated down. Fright Knight immediately fell to one knee, and he dragged Ember down with him. As Danny walked toward them, Sam came around from behind. Her wedding dress was torn, and her hair, once ornately done, was messy and knotted. Seeing this, and seeing the sword still in her hand, made Danny grin. She grinned back, and when she touched her hand to his shoulder, she was instantly transformed. Her dress was deep purple with a bodice and black ribbon laces running down the front. A long golden cloak hung from her shoulders. Her hair was down, and on her head was a golden tiara with a round amethyst jewel in the center. On Danny's head there had appeared a silver crown, decorated with emeralds. Together, they made the picture of a Gothic king and queen, young and yet majestic. Tucker was astounded, and Emlyn was smiling. The two ghosts had bowed their heads.

Danny wrapped one arm around Sam's waist and returned Emlyn's sword with the other. Sam's now free hand rose to rest on Danny's chest.

"Your majesties," the Fright Night said.

"You can stand up, Fright. It feels awkward with you down there."

"But you're the king," he said, standing anyway. He still held Ember's hands in his.

"Yeah, but I'm new to this." Danny looked at Ember. "Who rules now?"

Emlyn smacked a hand to her forehead. "That was so lame," she muttered.

"You do," Ember answered grudgingly.

"Your majesty, if I may make a request?"

"Of course, Fright. Go ahead," Sam answered.

He cleared his throat. "I ask that Ember be put under my charge."

Ember growled and twisted at this, but Danny was intrigued. Fright Knight wanted Ember? That didn't make much sense. "Why do you want her?" he asked.

"Ember's an old friend of mine. I'm sure I can convince her to help our cause, and she'd be another good ally."

Danny considered it. Everything Fright Knight said made sense, and he'd proven his loyalty fairly well. "Fine. But don't let her get into any trouble."

"No problem. Now, if you'll excuse us." Fright made a slight bow and dragged Ember out of the room. Danny transformed back, and he and Sam walked over to where Emlyn was helping Tucker up.

"Nice clothes, guys," he commented. Not in ghost form, Danny's clothes were still black and silver, just not as… spandex.

"Guess it comes with the job," Danny said. This statement was followed by Tucker's growling stomach. Everyone laughed. "Let's get something to eat. Emlyn, will you do the honors?"

"With pleasure!" She snapped her fingers and grinned. "There's a wedding feast out in the living room. Congratulations to husband and wife, king and queen!"

Tucker let out a whoop and immediately started jogging to the other room. Apparently, he wasn't hurt anymore. Danny rolled his eyes and followed, while Emlyn and Sam moved slower, walking together.

"So, why isn't it ever 'queen and king'?" Sam asked.

Emlyn smiled. "Let the men think they run the world. It's easier that way. In the meantime, we can just do what we want."

"I'll drink to that! By the way, you wouldn't happen to have conjured any special, celebration vodka, have you?"

Emlyn laughed out loud at that one. "You're eighteen. You get one glass of wine."

"Damn."

* * *

Dinner passed happily, and with the exciting news that Emlyn and Tucker would be getting married. They'd decided to wait until after the whole Knight of Darkness threat was over, insisting that they be the center of attention. Of course, that was to be expected from Emlyn, a powerful sorceress, and Tucker, who was… well… Tucker. 

The four friends lounged and talked, but it got late quickly. Soon Emlyn was yawning, Tucker was asleep, and Sam was getting a weird look in her eye that Danny wasn't quite used to, but he liked it. He nodded to Emlyn, shook his head at Tucker, and grabbed Sam's hand, leading her up the steps.

For Sam, the walk to the bedroom took forever. The hallway seemed to elongate as they traveled it, and she was beginning to wonder if they'd ever get there when Danny suddenly made the turn and opened the door. They stepped in, and Sam closed and locked the door behind them. She turned to find Danny staring at her.

"So," she said. "We're married."

"Yeah, we are," he responded.

There was a few seconds of silence before they came together, their mouths fusing in a deep kiss. Sam's heart-rate kicked up three notches, and she pressed closer to her new husband. Her new husband… the words sounded awesome.

His new wife… he couldn't get over it. Danny held Sam tight and lifted her off the ground, walking slowly toward the bed. He lowered her onto it and untied his cape, letting it fall to the ground. Never breaking contact, he untied Sam's cloak as well. His fingers came to rest on the many ties down the front of her dress. "This will be fun," he muttered.

She chuckled. "This is so weird."

"Not weird, just… different. And nice," he said.

"Yeah… nice…"

The pause had given them time to breathe, and this time when he reached out, it was gentle. He slowly shifted Sam up the bed and then lay beside her. This time she touched him, and grabbed the hem of his black sweater to lift it over his head. She could see his chest then, still thin, yet sculpted by many years of training and fighting. Though Sam wanted time to explore this area in a way she never had, it was Danny's turn. He gently undid the laces of her dress, making sure to take his time and let his hands detour. By the time he was done, Sam's eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily. Danny slipped the dress away from her body, almost reverent in his actions.

"Oh, wow…" he whispered in awe when he saw her laid out before him. "This is new."

Sensing his uncertainty, Sam took one his hands. One she placed just below her bust-line. The other she moved to her thigh. This gave Danny all the encouragement he needed and soon his fingers were roaming, his mouth in hot pursuit. He was going places he'd never gone before and—

Pleasure and adrenaline shot through Sam's body, shaking her to the core. It felt like liquid firehad exploded inside her, and she fought to catch her breath. Oh yeah, Danny was right.

This _was _new…

* * *

**Whoo! Is it hot in here or what?**

**This story started out as a quick sequel to Oh, It's On, and it totally exploded into something of its own. I've already got ideas for the next one, "Ghost King," which should be a lot of fun also, though not as long as Knight of Darkness. I just realized how long this one actually got and it kind of blew me away… on my computer; it's 71 pages so far. That's almost as long as the novel I wrote, and it equates to about 160 book-sized pages. Yeah…**

_SagePoint: In "Doctor's Disorders," when Jazz's head is trapped in the jar, what does her nametag say?_


	25. Passion and Practice

**Author's Note: Okay, so it took me a month, and I'm totally sorry. I decided that since you guys have been so patient, I'd make the chapter longer for you. So I did some switching around, and this is what I came up with. I'm rather pleased with the romance, though I'm frustrated with my take on Jack's character. I was just harping about him to my one friend, and here I am having difficulty establishing the right about of naiveté. Oh well…**

**_Warning! _Okay, so I've been reading way too many romance novels. Again. I've decided that parts of this chapter could definitely be considered lemony, so if you're not into that, just skip over the first half. The stuff with the Fright Knight in the middle is tame, though, and necessary to the plot. Please read that.**

**Oh, and just a heads up: Tucker gets some.

* * *

**

**Chapter 25- Passion and Practice**

Tucker lay silently in bed, his arm draped caressingly over Emlyn's waist. Her back was pressed against his chest and they were curled together closely. Over the unruly sweep of her red hair, Tucker could just barely make out her sleeping profile. He smiled and reached up to brush her cheek with his fingertips, and in sleep she edged even closer to him. He loved that; the way she instinctively gravitated toward him in bed. Grinning now, he slid his hand down and over her breasts. In response, Emlyn wriggled slightly, and her nose crinkled. He loved that, too… she was so cute when she was just waking up.

He loved the way she didn't balk at being woken by his touch, simply rolled over and returned the favor. He loved the way her hands knew exactly where to go to make his eyes close, or make him sigh. He loved her contradiction of shyness and boldness; he loved her mouth beneath his own. He loved the way her body fit to his so perfectly, matching curve to line. He loved the way her legs cradled him and the way her half-open eyes looked so sultry, and yet so honest.

"Emlyn," he whispered.

"Tucker…" she answered, and he loved the sound of his name on her lips.

And as he loved her, she loved him back.

Later, as once again she slipped back into sleep, Tucker watched. He would never get tired of being with her. Ever. He could spend the rest of his life with this woman, and he would be perfectly content. It seemed so long ago that she'd fallen through Danny's ceiling and they'd been thrown into this crazy adventure. From secret training to fights with ghosts to kings and queens to romance, they'd been on a wild rollercoaster ride. Part of him wanted it to end so they could all settle down… but part of him loved the adrenaline rushes followed by short respites of peace. He knew that their adventures would never end, even when the Knight of Darkness was defeated. Finally resting his head down on the pillow beside her, he replaced his arm around her waist.

He was her knight in shining computerized armor, and he would never let her go.

* * *

Upstairs, Danny and Sam were gaining their second wind.

"Oh, hell yes," Sam said, laughing as she lay sprawled on the bed. Danny chuckled into her neck.

"Glad to see you're enjoying yourself."

With her returning energy, she swatted his shoulder. "Don't sound so smug. Remind me why we waited so long to do this?"

"Because we're good little children who actually listened to our parents' sex talks…" He shuddered. "However awkward they were."

Sam giggled and rolled over, pinning Danny down. "So let's make up for lost time."

Danny had the nerve to roll his eyes. "Jeez, Sam, slow down. You've got me cross-eyed, and I might just want to be able to look at you some time tonight."

She paused, and he immediately knew he was in for it.

"Look at me, huh?" Slowly, Sam placed her hands on his chest and rose above him. Danny's eyes widened and his heart rate doubled. His expression quickly turned pleading, however, as Sam lifted her arms over her head and stretched. She smiled seductively down at him. "Enjoying the view?"

"I always knew you were sadistic."

Sam laughed and squeezed Danny's hips with her thighs, making a rather amusing, choked sound emit from his throat. "Oh, Danny… you ain't seen nothing yet."

* * *

Fright Knight sat in a high-backed chair, fingertips together. A purple fire roared beside him, illuminating the room with an ethereal glow. In the corner, Ember knelt.

It hadn't taken much to convince the Knight of Darkness to let him keeper. Some well-placed innuendo and lifted eyebrows had done the trick, combining nicely with Knight's sadistic outlook on life. Why not let 'little brother' keep a ghost as some kind of slave? It didn't bother anyone except the slave, and that didn't matter much in his mind.

In reality, slavery was not what Fright had in mind. For years he'd been watching as Skulker and Ember became closer and he could do nothing about it. Now, at last, he had an opportunity to steal the siren's heart. True, it could be difficult given the way he'd acquired this chance, but where there's a will, there's a way.

She'd been sitting very still for a long while. Her hands were bound behind her back, though he'd given her an opportunity to clean up and eat before taking assurances that she would not escape. Finally no longer to stand the virtual silence, he spoke to her.

"I hope you don't hate me. I want you to understand that I did not bring you here for malicious purposes. In actuality, I saved your life."

"Ha! Save me from that punk and his friends? It's not like they don't let us go all over again."

Fright shook his head. "Not true anymore. Danny Phantom is the ghost king, and he understands more and more that his mercy toward ghosts is what causes him so much trouble. He has grown up, Ember. I'll tell you this; if Skulker is not already destroyed, he will be soon. Phantom's allies will not allow anything else."

"No! Skulk wouldn't let that happen to him! He's too strong!"

"And yet, he was captured. He has been captured multiple times. You've had more luck fighting Phantom than he has. Can you truly call that strength?"

Ember did not answer. Making a final decision, he removed his helmet to reveal a pale but strong face and jet-black hair. Fright Knight stood and moved to her, lifting her to her feet. When he wrapped his arms around her waist, she tried to twist away. "Get your hands off me!"

He simply held on tighter, forcing her to remain still, though her face would not turn to him. "You have such fire… it is part of what I adore about you." He leaned forward and touched his lips to her ear. "I want to feel that fire, Ember. I've wanted it for the longest time. I don't dare take it from you, but I swear that one day you will give it freely."

She turned to him, only to say, "Keep dreaming, dipstick."

He dropped her and moved back to his chair. "Don't worry. I will."

* * *

The blast hit the training room wall and burst, leaving behind a large black mark.

"Good!" Emlyn yelled as Tucker formed another orb between his hands. "Now make the next one bigger!"

He concentrated hard on putting as much energy as he could into the shining yellow ball he held. He focused his anger and resentment at the Knight of Darkness, making the ball turn dark red with the emotions. He pushed it out with a yell, using as much force as he could. This time, when it hit the wall, the light exploded, scorching from floor to ceiling. Tucker fell to his knees, out of breath and out of energy. Emlyn was grinning as she walked over and stood beside him.

"What?" he asked between heavy breaths. "You're not even going to help me up."

"Nope. That was an amazing attack, but you need to learn to recuperate from it quickly. If we were in battle, you wouldn't have five minutes to get your strength back. You've got ability, and you've got power. This coming week is about teaching you stamina… and rounding off your other skills."

Just to drive her point home, Emlyn formed a bright red orb in one hand and sent it hurtling toward the wall. The scorch mark it left behind had expanded five feet onto every wall around it. She wasn't even sweating.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're an amazing sorceress and I should bow down and worship you until my dying day." He stood while she laughed and nodded. "Let's get back to it, then."

Emlyn fixed the wall, making it clean as new. Tucker formed another spell and blasted it out. However, instead of slamming into the wall like it was supposed to, it curved and hovered near the ceiling in the middle of the room. Tucker stared at it in frustration, his mouth twisted into a snarl of failure. He was about to say something witty and sarcastic when the orb began to glow a menacing red before darkening to black. Its energy pulsed out, sending vibrations around them. Emlyn's eyes widened.

"Down!" she yelled, racing across the room toward him and crouching next to him, forming an energy shield around them. Tucker was too shocked to help her as rays of searing light broke out from the ball and scorched the walls. The ball turned and shifted, and the rays drew black, curving lines over the room around them. Each time a ray hit their shield Emlyn winced, trying to strengthen it. The orb spun faster, and soon the rays were a blur, flashing like a laser show. Tucker was startled when one of them broke through Emlyn's shield, forming a sharp dark line on the ground between them. Their vulnerability broke through Tuck's amazement and he refortified the shield, allowing Emlyn to relax a little. He watched as his spell expanded, retracted, and then exploded in mid-air, shaking the entire room. After that there was silence, and Emlyn motioned for him to lower the shield. She stood, somewhat breathless, and surveyed the damage.

There wasn't a clear spot to be found, except where they'd been crouching. Everything else was a charred and flaking black. A light clicking sound could be heard when tiny pieces of the walls and ceiling fell to the floor. She looked down, biting her lip thoughtfully, at the place where Tucker's spell had broken her shield. She glanced at him before returning her gaze to the room, still seeing the black ball in her mind. "Effective," she said simply before waving the room back to normal.

That's when Danny and Sam came racing down to meet them. They appeared out of one wall and skidded to a halt before their friends.

"What happened?" Danny asked, his eyes darting around the room.

"We felt shaking!" Sam exclaimed.

Emlyn's eyes widened. Danny was wearing only pants, and the top button wasn't even done, showing he'd put them on hurriedly. Sam had a sheet wrapped around her. Emlyn smiled. "Nothing's wrong; sorry to get you guys up. I thought you'd be out and about by now… it is, after all, nearly noon."

The couple shared a blush as Tucker rolled on the floor, laughing. "Don't change the subject," Danny said grouchily, trying to hide his embarrassment and hiding behind a corner of Sam's sheet. "What the heck went on down here?"

"Just a little demonstration," she replied, her lip twitching uncontrollably. "Nothing to be worried about. Why don't you—" She snorted, trying to hold back laughter. "Go back to bed, you guys." Her mirth broke out then, and she laughed without restraint, covering her mouth with her hand.

Danny and Sam Glared at them and turned to stalk out of the room. They disappeared through the wall from which they came, and Emlyn flopped down to sit on the floor. Tucker shifted over to join her, and they shared a smile.

"It's weird to see them like that," Tucker admitted. "They've been together for a while, and I've seen them making out, but they were always adamant… no sex…" He chuckled. "I used to be grossed out by it. Now I'm just happy for them."

"What do you think they'll say when we tell them?" Emlyn asked, looking at him from the corner of her eye.

He snaked an arm around her waist and yanked her closer, dipping his lips to the curve of her shoulder and neck. "What, that we're going to spend the rest of our lives together?" He nudged her hair out of the way and traveled up to kiss just behind her ear. She shivered, and though he couldn't see, her eyes closed. "I think they'll be happy. You know, the day you showed up we were talking about how much I needed a woman." He reached down and gently began unhooking the chains that held her top together. He paused just below her breasts, and though his breath on her ear warmed her, she could tell he was thinking about something seriously. "Damn…I've grown up," he said finally, resting his palm against her bare stomach.

She turned and rested her forehead against his. "What do you mean?"

"Before all of this, my biggest worry was Sam killing me when she found out it was me who nominated her for prom queen. Now…" He kissed her lightly, and her world spun. She stroked her leg along his and he smiled. "I'm planning for a family. I'm thinking about where we'll live and how I'm going to support us. It's easy here in the Spirit Realm… no money needed. But back where my parents are, it's an entirely different story. And I'm considering your ties to Africa. I know you have that medicine man there—the one who helped you after your father died."

"I would like to see him again."

"I know. My point is, I never would have considered that a few months ago. My priorities have completely flipped."

Emlyn stared into his eyes worriedly. Was he upset about the change in him? Did he want to go back to the way he was? Was he going to leave her and return to his old life of near normalcy? "It that a bad thing?" she asked instead, hoping he would answer all her questions at once.

He did. "No, it's a good thing. I like the change. I can handle more, and I think I have more of Danny's respect than I did." His finger returned to their quest in ridding her of her top. "And I have you to thank."

She swatted his hand away and finished removing the garment herself. She noticed he became distracted instantly and grinned. "Whatever you feel, I don't want your gratitude."

She could see he wanted to touch her, and for a few seconds she expected him to. But he forced his gaze back to her eyes, determined to finish their conversation. His consideration and respect for her made her heart swell. "What do you want?" he asked, an eyebrow lifted.

She took his hand and placed it on her skin. "Everything," she responded.

With a laugh Tucker reached out to embrace her. "You have it!" he said, and kissed her gladly.

* * *

He wanted a cookie.

Jack glanced around him, but in the backwoods of Wisconsin, there didn't seem to be a bakery anywhere in sight. He frowned and put the Fenton Family Assault Vehicle—er… the RV—on autopilot and rummaged behind the front seat, searching for his secret stash. He mumbled in his search, not hearing the insistent beeping that issued from the dashboard. He didn't see the blinking red light.

He turned back around with a grin, chocolate-chip cookie in hand. He'd taken a bite and was chewing thankfully when he finally looked out the windshield and screamed.

Vlad Masters's hulking mansion was looming straight ahead, and the RV was not slowing down. Jack shoved the rest of the cookie in his mouth and began hitting buttons, searching frantically for a way to turn off the autopilot.

_Note to self: change Fenton Family Assault Vehicle's commands so that on and off switch are in the same place._

Having no luck in finding the off switch, Jack opted for cowering under the wheel. She pushed the seat back as far as it could go and just squeezed down below the dash, squirming uncomfortably. He braced himself and waited.

The impact was jolting, but the heavy armor on the RV was enough to shield Jack from the onslaught of debris and the tremendous crash. The vehicle went right through the outer wall and into Vlad's personal study. It slammed through the fireplace and flew down a set of hidden stairs, finally coming to a screeching halt at the bottom.

For a few minutes, everything was still. Then Jack's stomach growled and he decided it was time to investigate the situation. He removed himself with some difficulty from his hiding place and stretched mightily. On the way out of the damaged RV door, he grabbed an ecto-gun and powered it up lazily.

The place he'd landed was high-tech and shiny, and for a moment Jack was distracted by all the new technology. "I wonder if Vlad knows this is down here," he muttered, walking aimlessly. His focus was caught, however, when he saw a large ghost portal against one wall. Jack glanced at his watch, which was still reading the signal from the place the ghostly video had been filmed. It was in the ghost zone.

Jack's eyes widened with fear, and for a moment he stood in indecision. He didn't know a lot about the inside of the ghost zone—his wife had always warned him that the equalizing matter of the tubular tributaries embedded in the infrastructure was unstable and possibly quite dangerous. And Maddie… she wasn't there! She was the one with all the fighting ability…

Jack shook his head resolutely and stepped toward the ghost portal. Danny was in there somewhere, and he had to save him! His only son…

"I'm coming, Danny!" Jack cried and plunged into swirling green.

The ghost zone was strange and new, and Jack's eyes widened as he looked around him. He was floating like a ghost among doors of many different sizes and shapes. He looked to the side and noticed that one was open. Curiosity overwhelming him, Jack kicked his legs and floated over to the door, peering in. There was only darkness, so he leaned in and stepped forward.

Light flooded his eyes and he squinted against it. After a few moments he saw through the haze to a figure standing tall and proud. Upon closer inspection Jack could see disfiguring scars marring the figure's entire face and black hair falling freely around his shoulders. The door shut with a snap behind him and Jack turned to see the Fright Knight standing there, arms crossed over his chest.

Over against one wall, Vlad Masters lay bleeding and unconscious. Jack lifted his ecto-gun and aimed it at the only one in the room he didn't know.

"Where's Danny!"

"Out at the moment," the stranger said humorously, stepping forward. "But he'll be here, soon."

The room plunged into darkness.

* * *

**Wasn't that just delightful? I love cliffhangers.**

_There was a bit of a mix-up with the SagePoint, and I told some people they were wrong when they were actually right. So, for posterity, here are the people that answered correctly: Sam-n-Danny1, Oasis Blackmore, Hakkyou Kuuso, and Mama Agwe. Congrats to all of you._

_SagePoint: What religion is Butch Hartman? How does he feel about his values being shown in his shows? (Random, I know, but I thought it was interesting. As a head start for you guys, the answer can be found in the "episodes" section of the DP forum at Butch Hartman's website. It's still a lot to go through, I know, so I'll give you this hint: it's in a closed topic. There! Now there's only like two postings to page through.)_


	26. Paths and Choices

**Author's Note: Hi! I'm not dead!**

**Okay, so I have no idea how many people even care about this story anymore, given how long I've let it slide. But I've decided that ~I~ care about this story, and I want it finished. So, after who-knows-how-long, here we go!**

**I've replaced Chapter 26. Elements of the previous version will appear in Chapter 27, but after rereading it, I felt that it was rushed. Also, I kind of forgot what I had planned for Chapter 27 originally, so I had to revise. Actually, I'm glad I did, because I've come up with some fantastic ideas on how to wrap this one up, and I realized I'd missed some loose ends.  
**

**For anyone who does actually follow their author/story alert here, I want to thank you for taking the time. You, my readers, have been wonderful to me even when I deserted fanfiction not once, but twice. I've been rereading all the comments you've left on my stories, and I want you to know that it was your support that inspired me to pick this up again. If it wasn't for you, and all your wonderful reviews, this chapter probably wouldn't exist.**

**This chapter is hedged by plot, with a meaty, juicy, smut-block in the center. Seriously, if my memory serves, this is the most graphic scene yet...At least in this story. So be prepared. ;)

* * *

**

**Chapter 26- Paths and Choices  
**

Jazz and Maddie landed neatly on the lawn of Vlad Masters' Wisconsin estate. Each pressed a button on their arm and the large box-like contraption on their backs folded in on itself to become a regular backpack. Maddie sighed, turning to survey the scene.

"I knew those Fenton Jet Packs would—oh my!" She cut off her sentence, silenced when she saw a large, gaping hole in the side of the mansion. Outside, many of the Fenton Family—argh!—the RV's external protection units were lying on the ground.

"Dad!" cried Jazz, running forward to pick up the remnants of a safety belt. She turned to her mother. "Do you think he..."

"Of course not," Maddie replied, taking the strap from Jazz and tossing it aside. "He's fine, though probably very confused and hungry. Let's keep moving."

They followed the trail of wreckage through the house, climbing the rubble to enter different rooms. They were heading in a general downward direction; the RV's drill mechanism must have been accidentally activated during the crash. Finally the vehicle came into sight, and Jazz rushed forward.

"Uh... Mom? You have to see this."

When Maddie caught up, she gasped loudly. They were in some kind of control room or laboratory, and it looked frighteningly like a high-tech version of their own. And, in one corner, there was even a ghost portal. "Oh, god... this must be where Vlad has been operating from." She moved toward the portal and began punching buttons. "The last entry wasn't too long ago. It had to have been Jack." After a moment of working, the doors slid open. Maddie turned. "Come on, Jazz. We have to find him."

Resigning herself to her fate and probably a bad decision, Jazz followed her mother through the portal.

* * *

"Ahem."

The couple heard nothing, or ignored the vocal intrusion, as they sat on the couch in each other's embrace.

"Ahem!" Emlyn tried again, but received no answer. Finally giving up, she walked back to Tucker in the kitchen. "They're horrible!" she said as she grabbed a drink.

Tucker just smiled. "You get used to it. I dealt with this when they first got together. Now that they're married, you get to see what I saw."

Emlyn put down her drink and lowered herself into Tucker's lap. "We could distract ourselves," she murmured seductively.

Tuck grinned. "You never take a break, do you?"

She bent to kiss the side of his jaw. "Do you?"

"No." He placed his hands on her hips and let his thumbs skim the planes of her bare stomach. Emlyn shivered and wiggled in a way that made Tucker shift his legs self-consciously. "Are you cold?" he asked to cover it.

"No, I'm hot." She slipped her arms under his and wrapped them around his back. She pressed close. "You always make me hot. That's what attracted me to you... it was a kind of heat I'd never felt before; magic mixed with... something else."

"Heat, huh?" Tucker's smile turned devious. "Do you feel it... here?" He pressed his palm against her stomach.

She shivered again. "Yes."

He dragged his fingers up to graze her breast. "And here?"

Emlyn's eyes fluttered closed as she sighed. "Yes..."

His hand fell away, only to rest securely on her upper thigh, the tips of his fingers pressing against her most sensitive area. "Here?" he asked softly.

Emlyn was melting inside, and she pressed her face into Tucker's neck. "Oh, God," she said, holding his shoulders tightly. "Yes. Yes, I'm hot."

He flexed his fingers, and smiled at the way her body shook. Gently, he breathed warm magic over her neck and ear. Within the magic was a spell. He hadn't learned it from Emlyn, but looked it up in one of the many books in the library. It was a spell to heighten whatever emotion the subject was feeling at the time. As Tucker's breath met Emlyn's skin, her grip on him tightened further. Within her, the feeling was so intense that her head fell back and she cried out. Her skin felt like it should be in blessed flame, but when she looked, everything appeared normal. She looked into Tucker's eyes, and there was heat there, too. She kissed him with everything she had, and poured out more love than she knew she possessed.

In that moment, when she'd looked at him, Tucker swore he'd seen both heaven and hell blazing in her eyes. Magic sizzled over her skin for one brief moment as she leaned toward him. She was beautiful in a raw, dangerous way that he'd never seen before and knew he would never find anywhere else in the universe. And when she kissed him, his eyes remained open, as if unable to bear losing her image for even a millisecond. The wonder they'd found together slammed into him and knocked the world away, leaving only her. Need clawed through him as she dragged her nails down his back.

He willed it, and it became. In less than a moment they were no longer in the kitchen but up in their darkened bedroom, wound together on the sheets. Their clothes had disappeared, and the sudden scorch of skin on skin seared them both. Emlyn let out a cry; high-pitched, guttural, and hoarse. Her nails scored his back again, leaving long scratch marks this time. For a second their gazes clashed again, and it was then that Tucker found her, impaling her in an instant.

This time they both cried out, as if both had simultaneously been broken and healed all at once. "Yes!" Emlyn screamed as he stroked again. "Yes, more, forever!"

"Forever," Tucker echoed. He felt that surely he'd died. No single life could be so much. It was not one life, but two, merging in an uncontrollable and fateful way. It was complete, permanent, he knew. They were bound for eternity, beyond what this life's future held for them. When the worlds ended and there was nothing, they would still love.

As they raced through each other's bodies, hearts, minds, and souls, a light began to pulse. It was something more than magic alone, but like magic it swirled before their eyes and through their blood. Each time their bodies met, the pulse of light grew stronger, and they were swept higher. The power hummed through them until the fire and light were everywhere, and they could wait no longer. Tucker, his face pressed to Emlyn's neck, bit the base of her throat and she shattered. She carried him down with her, and they both went momentarily blind as the energy burst into a supernova, flared, then dissolved into the shimmering light of gently falling stars.

Their hearts were beating in time, and continued to do so as the rhythm slowed. Pressed together they breathed, each needing a moment of composure. Emlyn recovered first.

"You and I both know that what we just had... that was once-in-a-lifetime," she said quietly. Her bones still feeling liquid, she lifted a hand and stroked his cheek. "I don't know why we're meant to be, just that we are. Even now, after all of this, I can feel the burn when I touch you. It hasn't diminished at all."

"I know," he said, reaching up to cover her hand with his. "It's because our love has only grown. An hour ago I couldn't have imagined loving you more, yet here I am." He smiled. "It makes me feel like we can do anything."

"I know what you mean," she replied, then pouted her lips. "But that makes me wonder, Tucker... What, exactly, did we do?"

He understood. "We made magic. I got us here, I know that. And then there was... but that was different. I..." He shook his head. It was all so much, and he'd been so focused on her. The magic _had _been different when they made love, but he couldn't say how, or what the magic had done. Emlyn sensed this, and she said nothing as he slowly shifted off of her and pulled her close. Tucker sighed, burying his nose in her fragrant hair. Whatever their magic had done, it was momentous, and he knew that they would discover it before long.

* * *

"I said back up, Fright!"

Ember tried to flick an energy ball his way, but without her music, her power was weakened. He brushed it aside as if it were a fly. He didn't, however, approach her again. They'd just passed a milestone, and he would not cheapen it.

Over the past days, she'd called him every expletive known to man, usually combined with some other derogatory term. Never, once, had she called him by his name. But he'd been patient, attentive, kind even. And as time wore on, she had less and less of a reason to hate him. In that moment, even with her anger sparking, she'd called him by name, and that meant enough to Fright Knight to lift his spirits for a while.

He was about to suggest that they play some chess when a knock came at the door. Ember looked up in curiosity, but Fright's eyes narrowed. No one who _should _be there would knock. He moved cautiously to the door, motioning Ember back into another room. Miraculously, she obeyed. She must have sensed that something was not right. Fright made sure to hold a sizzling ectoplasm ball behind his back as he opened the door.

Hovering above the threshold was a hooded figure, shadowed and dark against the eerie green glow of the Ghost Zone. "What do you want?" Fright Night snapped.

"I seek..." hissed a voice from deep in the hood. "The ghost king."

Fright's wariness eased only slightly. Many had approached him recently, wanting access to the Knight of Darkness. None of the requests were ever granted. "If you seek him, go and find him. He is not here." Fright moved to close the door, but the hooded figure reached out a hand to stop it. A pink, soft, human hand.

Before he could react, he heard the plasma charge and felt the barrel of a gun press into the back of his head. The energy ball in his hand extinguished with a sizzle.

"We know that, asshole," quipped Jazz, smiling as Maddie lifted the hood away from her face. "We got him, Mom! And Ember was in the back. I have her in the thermos."

"No!" shouted Fright, turning despite the danger to himself. He stared into Jazz's mortal, baby blue eyes. "Do not take her from me, please. You misunderstand." He glanced in Maddie's direction. "If you would but come inside, and close the door, we could speak in private."

Maddie scowled as she studied the handsome ghost. Everything in her went against trusting ghosts, but she'd have to trust someone if they were going to find Jack or Danny. Drawing her own ecto-gun, she stepped into the room and closed the door, then set the sights of the gun straight at the dead thing's crotch. She didn't know if ghosts still cared about that kind of thing, but Jazz had dibs on his head and it was just as good a place to shoot him as any if he acted up. "Start talking," she commanded quietly.

* * *

When Jack woke up, he was still in the dark. The last thing he remembered, the lights had gone out, and then someone had put his lights out. Now, as he tried to move, he realized he'd been chained by heavy shackles and manacles to a stone wall. He strained against them, but it was no use.

A door opened and light shone in on Jack's face, forcing him to squint and blink against it. A silhouette of a tall, broad-shouldered man came through the open doorway, and then the person lit a ball of ghost-light, and revealed himself. It was the same ghost Jack had encountered before, just prior to losing consciousness.

"Who are you?" he asked defensively.

"Knight of Darkness, the Ghost King," the ghost announced, leaving Jack confused. He hadn't known there was royalty in the Ghost Zone. "There's no use trying to break those, by the way," Knight said, motioning toward the chains. "If Vlad couldn't escape, there's no chance you will."

"What happened to Vlad? Where is he? Where's Danny?"

"Hush, hush, all in good time, Mr. Fenton. First, I'm afraid I have some terrible news..."

Jack stared at the ghost for a long moment. Finally, when the specter said nothing more, he pushed. "Well? What's the news?"

Knight of Darkness grinned with malicious content. "Your wife and your daughter are dead. My brother killed them not an hour ago."

For a few scant seconds there was silence, and then Jack screamed. His pain and mourning ripped out of him, and he howled in anger and agony. The sound traveled all the way across the Zone, and behind it came Knight of Darkness's gleeful laughter.

* * *

**Haha! We're finally getting to the final battle soon. I'm super excited, and I can't wait to hear what you guys think of this, and what you think will happen. I've missed you all!**

**FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!**

**~Sage**


	27. The Rescue

**Author's Note: Okay, so here's 27. Most of this chapter is what I removed from the previous one, but it's been edited and there's a new original scene at the end.**

* * *

**Chapter 27- The Rescue**

It was incredibly difficult to concentrate with Tucker so focused on her neck. She'd tried to distract him, knowing there were other pressing matters, but apparently in this case his will was stronger than hers.

The polite cough was unexpected, and completely unwelcome.

Emlyn turned her head to jokingly glare at the couple that had joined them. "Oh, so when I try to get your attention, you can ignore me, but when you want something we're supposed to just bow to your every whim? I'm not a ghost, Danny."

Danny lifted his hands in a sign of peace. "We couldn't, ah... find you earlier. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay."

Emlyn glanced back to Tucker and their intimate embrace, then back at Danny. "Clearly, everything is fine."

Danny couldn't help but laugh. "Well, now that we have each other's attention, at least, what did you need?"

"I was planning on making another trip to your sister soon, and I was wondering if you'd like to join me. It will be dangerous, so it has to be brief, but I know she'd appreciate seeing you alive and well."

His smile was warm and appreciative. "Thank you, I would like that. I can't even imagine what she's been telling our parents... they must be going nuts."

"Hopefully this will all be over soon, and you can continue your lives with some measure of normalcy."

Tucker chuckled. "Normalcy? Since when?"

"Since ever," Sam said. "Normal is relative."

"Uh oh," Tucker mumbled. "She's going into that weird, new age philosophy again." He winced as Emlyn smacked him lightly upside his head. "What was that for?"

"For Sam. She was too far away to reach."

Danny started cracking up, but Sam just smiled smugly. "Thanks, Em." She glanced at Danny, who was still trying to contain his humor, then back Emlyn. "What time will you guys be leaving?"

"Whenever you're ready, Danny."

"Okay." He leaned down to give Sam a quick kiss. "Let's go. Now that the option's there, I really just want to see Jazz."

Emlyn turned to look back at Tucker. "Finish this later?"

"Definitely." He kissed her softly. "Be careful. You too, Danny."

"Of course." Danny joined Emlyn as she backed away from Tucker, and she laid a hand on his upper arm.

"Get ready," she warned him, and they disappeared.

* * *

It was very dark, and very quiet. They were still for a few moments before Danny finally asked, "Why are we in the closet?"

"Because I couldn't sense your sister to see if she was alone. I didn't want to bring us to a place with your parents there."

"Oh." A few more moments of silence stretched. "Why are we still in the closet?"

Her sigh held a hint of frustration. "Because I still can't sense her. In fact, I can't sense anyone. Something must be blocking me... This isn't good. We should leave."

"Wait," he insisted. "Going ghost." The bright rings of light blinded them both momentarily, but in the pure darkness, it was hard to tell. Danny reached out and grabbed Emlyn's hand, then made them both intangible. Together, they floated out of the closet and into the upstairs hallway. It was almost as dark there, and in the bedrooms they flew through. Once downstairs, they found that the kitchen light was on, but nothing else. As they searched, uneasiness spread through Danny. Perhaps Emlyn was correct, and something very wrong was going on.

The only sign of activity was down in the lab. There, various ghost-hunting tools were scattered over the workbenches, as if inspected and discarded rapidly. Two of the jet packs were gone.

The pair returned to the kitchen, where Danny made them tangible again. "It's the middle of the night!" he said immediately, starting to pace. Emlyn sat down. "Where could they be? This isn't right, Emlyn, they've got to be in trouble. But I don't feel any ghost energy. Usually after an attack, there's something left behind, and everything is too clean. What's going on? This is my family! If something happens to them, and it's my fault..."

"Danny, stop it," Emlyn chided, her voice intentionally soothing. "You're jumping to conclusions. We need to find out what happened, and if they are in trouble, then we'll fix it. But you need to calm down."

"You're right." He dropped into a chair beside her. His fingers moved to his temples into a calming gesture, but his legs were bouncing up and down like crazy. "How can we figure out?"

"I know a way, but if this was ghost-related, it might not work. Hang on a second." She closed her eyes, and Danny watched as her skin flushed, and her hair shifted just the slightest little bit, as if touched by an ethereal wind. A strange calm came over him, and he realized that Emlyn must be the source, but he didn't care. It helped him focus. A few seconds later, she spoke. "Let what once was reappear. Show us all that happened here. The Ghost King's family, now lost, be found. Magic of the past, now surround. Reveal to us what led them from this place."

She opened her eyes, which were immediately drawn to the kitchen wall. Danny followed her gaze, and to his amazement watched as the air rippled to life. It showed a green haze, at the center of which was a stone room. The Fright Knight was there.

"Listen closely, for I have a message for Jack Fenton. I have in my possession two people whom I believe you would want safe." Vlad came into view. "But that isn't all." Danny winced as he saw himself chained to the wall, and then what sounded like his voice pleading for help. "Come and get them soon, or all you'll find is bones." The vision faded.

Danny's eyes filled with horror. "The Fright Knight told me that the Knight of Darkness planned to hit close to home, but this..." He shook his head. "He'd wanted all of us there when he revealed the specifics. But then the attack came, and he never got the chance. He tried to warn me! But who knows how long Knight's had my parents by now? We need to go and get them."

Emlyn was still staring at where the mirage had been. "I agree, but we need to tread carefully. This is quite obviously a trap." She sighed and stood. "Let's get back. The spells around the house act as an early warning system, but as we've already seen, with ghosts it doesn't help much. I'm not comfortable with Sam and Tucker there alone. Once we're together again, we'll plan our next step."

Danny nodded, though he was frustrated. He wanted to go right away. He wanted to race to wherever the Knight of Darkness held his family and avenge them, and save them. But Emlyn was right. Ghost King or not, the Knight was powerful, and they needed to plan so that no one would get hurt.

They came together and teleported away.

* * *

Danny and Emlyn burst into the house with a flurry of activity. Sam and Tucker nearly jumped out of their skin. The boom of sound and wind as Emlyn's magic thrust into the room was immense, and then she was running for the staircase, conjuring her weapons as she went. Danny was on the move as well, heading for the living room. "Fright Knight! The Ghost King summons you. Come as fast as you can, but don't blow your cover." As he rushed past Tuck and Sam, he motioned for them to follow. "The Knight of Darkness has my family," he explained. Tucker nearly threw himself onto the couch, too wrapped up in the sudden whirl of energy to do much else. Before Sam could join him, Danny snagged her wrist and dragged her close to him. Though Danny was already in ghost form, and he wasn't about to go human, thick bands of light surrounded them. When the glow faded, Danny's cape was back, and Sam was in a beautiful, yet battle-ready ensemble. Black pants and combat boots, as well as a form-fitting black sleeveless shirt. Low-slung on her hips, a leather belt sheathed her sword and two daggers.

Not three seconds later, Fright Knight appeared in the room. He knelt before Danny and Sam. "You summoned me," he intoned quietly.

Emlyn rushed in, having changed clothes and gathered her own weapons.

"Danny!" Tucker shouted before anything else could change. "What the hell happened?"

"The Knight of Darkness used an illusion to lure my family to him, under the premise of rescuing _me_. Now, we have to go rescue _them_. Fright Knight has been pretending to help him, but he'll be helping us from here on out." Danny's determined gaze fell on the kneeling ghost. "What's the situation? How is my family?"

"Your father is distressed, but unharmed. Your mother and sister are not with him. It seems he left in a hurry, while they took the time to prepare, and then followed. I have just left them; they found and captured me, looking for information on you. I told the Knight of Darkness that they had been spotted in the Ghost Zone, and he's gone to look for them, but they are safe. If you act quickly, you may be able to get Jack Fenton out before he returns. It will, however result in a fight. Once Jack has been taken, Knight will come after you, if you do not face him immediately. He wants you to come to him, but if he realizes that you've already come and gone, it will be the end of his patience."

"What kind of back-up does he have? What about Vlad?"

"Masters is being held in a separate room. Knight does not consider him an ally. Once the fight begins, he will summon reinforcements, but if you call upon them as King, they will be forced to join with you. Knight will be forced to stand alone."

Danny shot a look at Emlyn, who returned it with a level stare. "I am ready," she said with assurance. "With Knight of Darkness off-guard, this will be our best chance. And you are at your full power now, Danny."

"I'm ready. This needs to end," Sam agreed.

All eyes turned to Tucker. With a deep breath, he stood. When he locked eyes with Danny, his were full of fighting fire. "Let's do this, then."

* * *

Fright Knight led them to the remote castle in the Ghost Zone. As they appeared in the dungeon room, Danny had no problem finding his dad, since Jack immediately started bellowing.

"Ghost! Ghost! You dirty spook, when I get out of here, I'm going to—" He broke off as he finally saw everyone. "Sam? Tucker? What are you doing here?"

"We're here to get you out, Mr. Fenton," Sam told him as Emlyn walked forward. "This is Emlyn; she's taking you somewhere safe. Trust her."

He didn't really have much of a chance to protest, since the second Emlyn reached him, she took hold of his arm and teleported away. The chains that had held his arms swung down, empty, to clink against the stone wall.

"Okay," Danny said, turning to the others. "This is it. Sam, Tucker, head around that corner there and hold your position. I'll be invisible on the other side of the room. If Emlyn gets back before Knight, I'll tell her where to go, but if she shows up after, I'm guessing she'll have to just join in the melee. Fright, keep up the ruse for as long as you can; distract Knight with a story about Jack. If at all possible, we need enough time for Emlyn to grab my mom and sister and get them out of the Zone."

Fright bowed his head. "Of course, my King." He walked swiftly out into the hall, apparently to wait for Knight. Tucker took his position, but Sam hesitated.

"Danny," she said softly, moving to hold him close. "I love you. I needed to stay that before this began."

He kissed her, one rough embrace that left them both breathless. "I love you, too. Be safe."

She left him reluctantly and joined Tucker. In a second Danny was invisible, and then there was nothing to do but wait.

* * *

Emlyn had to smile at Jack Fenton's bewildered expression as she dropped him off at the Spirit Realm house. She rushed up to the tower and modified the protection spell, making teleportation the only means to leave or enter the building. When she walked back down the stairs, Jack hadn't moved. She approached him slowly.

"Mr. Fenton, I'd like to sit down and talk with you, but I just don't have the time. I'm sure you understand that there's a lot to do. Right now, I'm leaving to get Jazz and Maddie."

Pain flashed across his features and he dropped his head. "You're right. We'll need to arrange the... the... funerals..."

"Funerals? What do you mean?"

"The Knight of Darkness told me. He told me they're... dead! And my boy, Danny, I have no idea where he is. My family is gone."

For a few moments, Emlyn was too stunned to say anything. Then rage filled her, and she knew that the Knight of Darkness would die slowly for causing the Fentons this much pain. She rushed to Jack's side. "Mr. Fenton listen to me. Jazz and Maddie are alive. They're just fine; they came looking for you and found the right side. I'll be bringing them here when I find them. And Danny... Danny's in danger, but he can take care of himself, and I know you'll see him soon, as well. He'll want to have a very long talk with you. Please hear me, Mr. Fenton. Your family is whole and well."

Jack was clearly stunned, but his relief was clear. "They're okay? Really?"

"Yes. Please, make yourself comfortable and try to relax. We're doing everything we can to finish this."

Not waiting for his response, Emlyn teleported away from the house.

* * *

**Okay, so here we are once again, awaiting the final battle between our favorite ghost hunters and the Knight of Darkness. I'm writing Chapter 28 right now, and it will be posted Monday at the latest. Other than that, if I get 10 new reviews, I'll post the chapter THE SECOND IT'S FINISHED. I just want to hear from you guys, even if it's to yell at me for neglecting you and the story. ;)**

**Also, I came across a bunch of old one shots that are in various stages of completion. Once I finish Chapter 28, I'm going to be reading through them to see if there are any I can finish quickly and post.**

**_Sagepoint!: In what other story chapter of mine, posted on this site, does Emlyn make an unnamed appearance?_  
**


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